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Sixty-four politicians from the regional council of Lombardy, one of Italy's wealthiest regions, have been accused of squandering almost โฌ2.14 million worth of public funds on everything from premium wine and caviar to jars of Nutella and placing bets.
In the latest expenses scandal to hit Italian politics, prosecutors in Milan discovered that between 2008 and 2011, the politicians, mainly from Silvio Berlusconi's former party, the People of Freedom (Pdl), claimed reimbursements worth 70 percent of their wining and dining costs.
The expenses included eating out in the priciest restaurants, hosting banquets for hundreds of people and quaffing wine worth โฌ1,094 a bottle.
The investigation wrapped up in early March, with the politicians now accused of embezzlement. Among those accused, 31 are from the Pdl, 23 from the Northern League, five from the Democratic Party, two from the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (Udc) and one each from Left Ecology Freedom (Sel), Italy of Values (Idv) and the Pensioners Party.
Prosecutors named and shamed some of the culprits, including Gianmarco Quadrini, the regional leader of the Udc, who allegedly splurged โฌ2,190.29 on a Christmas feast of "caviar and a variety of fish" in 2008.
Comment: UN 'peacekeepers' also engaged in sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the African country, but we don't expect this to be mentioned in an article that brags about UN's good deeds.
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