Corruption, Italy | featured news

Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday it takes seriously any allegations of misconduct, after a report that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating potential bribery by Microsoft employees in China, Romania and Italy.

Giuseppe Orsi of the the Italian state-controlled defense group Finmeccanica was arrested in an investigation centered on the sale of helicopters to the Indian government.

The housing commissioner of Milan's regional government was arrested Wednesday on accusations he paid €200,000 ($260,000) to mobsters in exchange for an election victory — the latest in a series of scandals involving Italian public officials accused of abusing their power or profiting from their jobs.

Silvio Berlusconi's corruption trial ended Saturday with a court ruling that the statute of limitations had run out, handing the former premier another victory in a long string of judicial challenges.

The Vatican was shaken by a corruption scandal Thursday after an Italian television investigation said a former top official had been transferred against his will after complaining about irregularities in awarding contracts.