Brazilians who paid higher prices were able to obtain Italian citizenship without ever entering Italy. This is what an investigation conducted by the Carabinieri revealed. Friuli Venezia Giulia, and disclosed this Thursday (27). The scheme, based on fictitious residences and forged documents, involved six suspects and yielded more than 500 thousand euros in profits.
The case is being investigated by the Udine Prosecutor's Office and originated in the municipality of Moggio Udinese, where 84 Brazilians allegedly declared residence in only two properties between 2018 and 2024. According to investigators, none of them actually lived at the location.
Intermediaries sold complete citizenship packages.
At the center of the fraud are two intermediaries: a 61-year-old woman of Albanian origin and a 54-year-old Brazilian man. Their names have not been released.
Both live in the Veneto region and are said to have set up an informal service to expedite the recognition of Italian citizenship by descent. jus sanguinis.
They offered packages that included forged rental agreements, ready-made birth certificates, and expedited travel to simulate physical presence in Italy. For clients who paid more, the process was done entirely remotely, police said. Citizenship was granted even if the applicant never set foot in the country.
According to the prosecution, this scheme was only possible thanks to the collaboration of public officials who ignored irregularities in the applications. Each citizenship application yielded approximately 6 euros to the intermediaries. Payments were made to accounts abroad, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, according to local media.
Fraud involving half a million euros remains under investigation.
The operation by the Carabinieri of Moggio Udinese identified a financial volume exceeding 500 euros, equivalent to approximately R$ 3,1 million.
The Udine Prosecutor's Office is now analyzing the situation of the 84 Brazilians whose citizenship is under suspicion. The investigation remains open and further measures have not been ruled out.
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