Businessman and former editor Valter Lavitola, who was once a candidate for Forza Italy, a party currently led by the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani, was arrested this Monday (10) on charges of being the mastermind behind the bomb attack against journalist Sigfrido Ranucci, presenter of the investigative program Report, from Rai.
Pre-trial detention was ordered by the preliminary investigation judge in Rome at the request of the Prosecutor's Office. Lavitola is being investigated for the attack that occurred in October 16th, 2025The explosive device was thrown in front of Ranucci's house in Pomezia, on the outskirts of Rome. It damaged the journalist's cars. Lavitola denies ordering the attack.
According to the Rome Prosecutor's Office, he allegedly planned the action with the help of Gomes Clesio Tavares, a Cameroonian citizen identified as an intermediary between the businessman and the group that allegedly planted the bomb. Tavares is a fugitive and, according to Italian authorities, may be in Africa.
Those under investigation are also accused of using mafia-style methods. Four people identified as the perpetrators of the attack had already been subject to precautionary measures at the end of June.
The Supreme Court reaffirmed: citizenship is born with the person.
- New legal front opened
- Processes can still be filed.
- Individual assessment before any decision.
The attack is believed to have a political objective.
The hypothesis presented by investigators for the attack made the case even more unusual.
According to the court ruling that ordered the arrest, Lavitola allegedly orchestrated the attack not to harm Ranucci, but to increase the journalist's popularity and accelerate his eventual entry into Italian politics.
The plan, according to the judge, was to make the explosion appear to be an act of intimidation provoked by journalistic investigations conducted by the presenter of... ReportThe publicity could strengthen Ranucci's public image and favor a future candidacy.
According to the investigation, Lavitola intended to secure a prominent position for himself in this potential political project.
The judge emphasizes that there is no evidence indicating that Ranucci knew about the plan. The information gathered so far points to the journalist as a victim of the attack and of possible manipulation by Lavitola.
Lavitola was a Forza Italia candidate
Lavitola's career has spanned decades behind the scenes of Italian politics and, primarily, within the political environment surrounding... former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
In 2004, Lavitola ran for the European Parliament for Forza Italia in the Southern constituency. He received approximately 54.000 votes but failed to get elected.
Today, Forza Italia is led by Antonio Tajani, who officially holds the position of national secretary of the party. The reference to Tajani is purely partisan.
After his electoral stint with Forza Italia, Lavitola remained close to Berlusconi's inner circle. According to the ANSA news agency, he frequented the then-prime minister's home and even accompanied him on some official trips abroad.
His name also appeared in a series of lawsuits that marked the final years of the Berlusconi governments.
Lavitola was involved, for example, in the process concerning the so-called “purchase of senatori”The alleged purchase of parliamentary support to weaken Romano Prodi's government. He was convicted of corruption in the first instance, but the crime was later declared time-barred by the Court of Cassation.
He was also convicted of attempted extortion against Berlusconi himself and served time in other cases related to the newspaper's management. Avanti!.
The interrogation will take place in prison.
Lavitola remains imprisoned in Rebibbia, in Rome. The guarantee interrogation is scheduled for Wednesday morning (12).
The Constitutional Court's decision changed the landscape. The new citizenship law will now be reviewed by the European Union's courts of justice.
Meanwhile, the Prosecutor's Office is preparing procedures to try to obtain the extradition of Gomes Clesio Tavares, considered by investigators to be the possible link between Lavitola and the group responsible for carrying out the attack.
The accusations against Lavitola will still be examined by the Italian justice system.
