Naples, 3 million euro eighteen-year bonus scam involves nearly 6,000 people

Nine people under investigation, nearly six thousand involved, a value of three million euros: these are the numbers of a scam that is being investigated by the Naples Public Prosecutor ’s Office together with the Guardia di Finanza of the Campania capital, which yesterday served the precautionary measures (three arrests in jail, three under house arrest, four residence obligations).

The scam allegedly took place in a bookstore in Herculaneum, and the mechanism was very simple: the beneficiaries of the bonus for 18-year-olds (the 500 euros introduced by Minister Dario Franceschini during the Renzi government, granted to all Italians who turn 18 during the year, to be spent on culture: for example, on books, concerts, museum or theater admissions) would issue credentials to the scammers, who would exchange the bonus for cash, keeping a portion for themselves. Beneficiaries could choose, according to leaks in the local press, whether to receive 200 euros right away, or 250 after a while.

The system also involved two very young men who “procured” 18-year-olds to bring to the bookstore, receiving a commission of 20 or 30 euros for each “customer.” According to the Prosecutor’s Office, there were 5,852 18-year-olds who monetized their bonuses through this system between 2017 and 2019, causing 2,850,000 euros in damage to the Ministry of Culture’s coffers. The various crimes charged against the suspects include conspiracy to commit fraud.

But how did the scam actually take place, since 18-year-olds cannot convert the bonus into money? The mechanism was very simple, as Corriere del Mezzogiorno explained: they presented the voucher to booksellers who entered data on sales that never took place into the Ministry of Culture’s management system to collect the state transfer. The money received was then divided as mentioned: one part to the 18-year-olds, one part to the procurers, and one part for themselves. The way the scam was discovered is also apparently simple: the money was in fact disbursed through prepaid card reloads, and investigators became suspicious upon seeing the volume of reloads, which was deemed excessively high. Moreover, the proceeds of the scam would also be used, among other things, to open a bed & breakfast.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano also intervened in the case. “Another scam, worth almost 3 million euros, with the old culture bonus. It is yet another proof that we were right: the App18 as it is does not work and must be reformed,” he said. “Also to avoid these situations, we wanted to create the new Youth Culture Card, which, starting next year, will be reserved for 18-year-olds from families with low incomes, and the Merit Card. Two new instruments that will ensure that their use is immune to distortions. In fact, anti-cheating mechanisms will be strengthened, to say goodbye to fraud for good.”

Naples, 3 million euro eighteen-year bonus scam involves nearly 6,000 people

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