UNDER SCRUTINY

Italian Prosecutors Launch Probe Into Alleged Russian Collusion Involving Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini

Far-right leader Matteo Salvini’s party was accused of meeting with Russian officials to discuss covertly funneling millions of dollars to the party.

Italian prosecutors have opened a probe into allegations that members of far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini's party met with Russian officials in 2018 to discuss a secret deal that would funnel millions of dollars to party coffers. News of the investigation comes after BuzzFeed News on Wednesday published a transcript it said was from the 2018 meeting, which shows Salvini aide Gianluca Savoini and two other Italians discussing a potential secret deal to funnel about “$65 million of Russian oil money to Salvini’s Lega party and its European election campaign.” The report notes that it is unclear if any such deal was ever finalized or if the party received any money. Savoini told Euronews that there was “never such a meeting,” and said he went to the hotel where the supposed meeting took place to meet local entrepreneurs. Savoini also denied allegations that the party got any funds from Russia. This comes after an expose earlier this year claimed Russia was pumping millions to Salvini in an effort to swing the election.