Brugnaro

Luigi Brugnaro, the former mayor of Venice, is currently facing two major sets of criminal allegations involving corruption and electoral irregularities. In the ongoing Palude (Swamp) investigation, Brugnaro is under investigation for corruption and bid-rigging. Prosecutors allege a system of favors involving the attempted sale of the polluted Pili land area to a Singaporean developer for 150 million euros, purportedly linked to promises of increased building capacity and the construction of a sports facility for Brugnaro’s basketball team, Reyer. He is also accused of facilitating the sale of city-owned Palazzo Papadopoli to the same developer at a significant discount. Brugnaro has denied all wrongdoing, asserting that he placed his assets in a blind trust and remains extraneous to these dealings. Separately, Brugnaro was indicted on June 5, 2026, for allegedly exceeding electoral spending limits by approximately 300,000 euros during his 2020 campaign. This trial is scheduled to begin on September 21, 2026. Brugnaro maintains his innocence regarding these charges as well.