In a dramatic turn of events, Italy’s largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, is in damage control after it was revealed that an internal security breach compromised the bank accounts of thousands of customers, including none other than Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The scandal came to light after Domani reported that a rogue employee at Intesa had spied on customer accounts. Among the targeted individuals was Meloni, sparking widespread outrage. The employee was promptly fired, but the damage had been done.
In an official statement, Intesa Sanpaolo expressed its regret:
“We notified the Data Protection Authority, dismissed the disloyal employee, and filed a complaint as an injured party. We are deeply sorry for what has occurred and we apologize. This must never happen again.”
Meloni addressed the scandal in an interview with TG5, raising concerns over a potential conspiracy.
“I think there are public and private sector employees who illegally take information and sell it… who are they selling it to? This is the answer we are waiting for,” she remarked, signaling that this breach may go far beyond one rogue employee.
In a swift response, Intesa Sanpaolo announced it would bring in Antonio De Vita, a retired top official from the Carabinieri police force, to oversee the bank’s cybersecurity. This decision aims to restore trust after the deeply unsettling incident.
