Former Swiss official arrested in Italy: could be man missing since 2017
A 70-year-old former executive officer from Graubünden has been arrested in Italy. Authorities suspect he could be a man reported missing in the canton of Graubünden in 2017.
Former Swiss official arrested in Italy: could be man missing since 2017
Italian law enforcement has arrested a 70-year-old former Graubünden official. According to reports from Südostschweiz and 20 Minuten, there are strong indications that the man matches a person reported missing in 2017.
The prosecutor of the canton of Graubünden has been conducting a criminal investigation against the arrested individual since 2016. The allegations concern suspicions of embezzlement in office, asset offences and document offences. The alleged crimes are said to have occurred between 2006 and 2016. The amount of damages is approximately 500,000 francs. Both private individuals and public entities have been harmed.
The Graubünden judicial authority had already issued an international arrest warrant in October 2020. It now intends to submit an extradition request to Italy through the Federal Office of Justice.
The prosecutor provides no details on the person's identity. However, he confirmed that an individual reported as missing from La Punt Chamues-ch in January 2017 has recently been found alive.
The known details match significantly: the person missing in early 2017 was 61 years old. The man now arrested is 70. In both cases, it is a former executive and insolvency officer from Graubünden. Furthermore, both are connected to a criminal proceeding by the prosecutor of the canton of Graubünden.
The missing person notice was still visible on the cantonal police website until March of this year but was subsequently removed. There is no official confirmation of identity yet, but the evidence clearly points in this direction.
The man had disappeared on foot from his home in La Punt Chamues-ch on 31 January 2017. Despite extensive searches, it had not been possible to locate him.
Previously, in the course of an insolvency procedure in Lower Engadin, investigations had been launched into former insolvency officers. This proceeding had been suspended because one person under investigation had died and another had not been able to be questioned. The prosecutor had stated at that time that the case could be reopened if the missing person reappeared or if his death was confirmed.
The question remains whether the proceeding will now be resumed following the discovery. Authorities have not yet made any statements on this matter.
Source: 20 Minuten