Bank Executive's Death Ruled Accidental Fall During Mafia Intimidation, Inquiry Claims

An Italian parliamentary inquiry has claimed that David Rossi, a bank executive, died when thugs accidentally dropped him from his office window while attempting to intimidate him into silence about dealings with the mafia. Rossi, the communications director for Monte dei Paschi di Siena, fell to his death in 2013 from the bank's 14th-century headquarters in Siena.

Investigators initially ruled Rossi's death a suicide, citing a note found in his office and CCTV footage showing two men observing his body before leaving the scene without calling for help. At the time of his death, the bank was embroiled in a corruption scandal and facing financial difficulties.

However, two individuals currently in prison have provided new testimony to a parliamentary commission investigating the case. They allege that Giuseppe Mussari, the former chairman of the bank, hired enforcers to threaten Rossi. The intention, according to the witnesses, was to scare Rossi into compliance after he decided to inform authorities about the bank's alleged mafia connections. Instead, the witnesses claim the men dangled Rossi from his office window, inadvertently causing him to fall approximately 60 feet to his death.

Gianluca Vinci, the committee chair, stated that a prominent figure in Florence's football scene also allegedly played a role in selecting the individuals who carried out the intimidation attempt. Witnesses reportedly indicated that Rossi was involved in moving millions of euros for the Grande Aracri clan, a significant faction of the 'Ndrangheta organization, and was preparing to disclose this information.

According to the first witness, Mussari allegedly employed Gabriele Ceccherelli, a former participant in calcio storico, a violent medieval football game, to organize the intimidation plan. Ceccherelli reportedly sent two teammates to threaten Rossi. When Rossi refused to remain silent, they dangled him out the window, leading to the fatal accident.

"The original idea was only to scare Rossi, but then, fatally, it degenerated into murder," the first witness stated. The second witness added that the men parked a van to block the view of Rossi as he lay dying in the alley.

Rossi's family has consistently maintained he was murdered, despite the conclusions of two previous judicial inquiries. The former bank chairman, Mussari, has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them "madness" and "defamatory," and has vowed to take legal action to clear his name. Vinci expressed hope that the accused individuals would cooperate with the commission, emphasizing the need for answers to resolve the long-standing mystery surrounding Rossi's death.