Italy court sentences Pirelli head in spying probe
Pirelli president Marco Tronchetti Provera smiles in the paddock after the third practice session of the Italian F1 Grand Prix at the Monza circuit September 8, 2012. REUTERS/Giorgio Perottino
MILAN | Wed Jul 17, 2013 8:02am EDT
(Reuters) - A Milan court handed the chairman of tire maker Pirelli, Marco Tronchetti Provera, a 20 month suspended jail sentence on Wednesday in a case involving the use of Telecom Italia's data to spy on Italy's elite.
Tronchetti Provera, one of Italy's most prominent businessmen who was head of Telecom Italia from 2001 to 2006, was convicted on charges of receiving illegal information from stolen phone data in 2004. He was also ordered to pay 900,000 euros ($1.2 million) to the telecoms company.
A lawyer for Tronchetti Provera, who denies any wrongdoing, said there was "no logic" in the verdict and that he would appeal. The sentence will not take effect until the appeal process is exhausted.
The case centers on accusations that some Telecom Italia employees spied on Italian public figures by stealing sensitive data.
Tronchetti Provera was not in court. In the past he has repeatedly said Telecom Italia had reported the suspected abuse to the authorities and had seen its reputation damaged as a result.
(Reporting by Ilaria Polleschi; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by David Holmes)
