The head of the Italian equestrian federation’s (FISE) dressage department has been temporarily suspended after he was arrested as part of a financial crime investigation.
Cesare Croce served as the president of FISE from 1996 to 2008, taking over as dressage head in 2017.
A statement from FISE said he had been suspended while the police investigation is carried out “in which it is hoped that Cesare will prove his own extraneousness”.
Italy’s financial police department in Monza arrested 30 people on 21 May on suspicion of offences including tax and bankruptcy crimes, fraud, money laundering and corruption.
The investigation was sparked by a complaint in October 2014, dating back to an incident in 2010 in the town of Brianza.
On behalf of the local judicial authorities, the police have started investigations into the management of about 40 companies belonging to a corporate group belonging to well-known building contractor Giuseppe Malaspina operating in the province of Monza and Brianza.
Officers are looking into the issue and use of invoices for non-existent transactions by the companies totaling around €95 million, with assets of approximately €234 million.
Police have seized 28 real estate units, company shares and financial assets, worth a total of €9.3 million, and are aiming to confiscate up to €10million to make up for the amount of tax that has allegedly been evaded.
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