Civitavecchia border police dismantled a large network of fraud to social benefits involving several Tunisian nationals. The damage to the Italian state amounts to around 300,000 euros, report Italian media.
The investigation revealed a well-established ploy: fraudsters simulated a permanent presence on Italian territory to obtain residence permits for themselves and their families, including many minor children. This maneuver allowed them to benefit from various social benefits, including the unique allowance per child, maternity allowances and family aid.
Once these financial advantages have been obtained, the wives and the children returned to Tunisia while continuing to perceive Italian performances. The investigations have highlighted that the majority of the children concerned did not speak Italian and had never attended schools where they were registered, although their families have perceived aid for the purchase of textbooks, add the same sources.
Investigators also discovered that some beneficiaries had only stayed a few days in Italy, while unduly perceived integration allowances, housing aid and services intended for active mothers.
Following this survey, nine foreign nationals are the subject of criminal proceedings. The authorities have canceled their resident status in Italy as well as their residence permits. A procedure for recovering the sums unduly paid was initiated by the INPS (Italian equivalent of Social Security).
Double challenge for Italy: social fraud and exodus of retirees
This case comes in a context already tense between Italy and Tunisia concerning financial issues. Indeed, the Italian authorities face a significant increase in the departures of their retirees to Tunisia, attracted by considerable tax advantages. According to the latest figures from the INPS, the country recorded an alarming increase of 42.2% of retirees from retirees in 2023 compared to 2022, with 268 retirees who chose Tunisia as a land of reception.
This double problem – fraud to social benefits on the one hand and the tax exodus of retirees on the other hand – places Tunisia at the heart of the concerns of the Italian authorities. With a cost of living three times lower than in Italy and an attractive tax regime, the North African country has become the second privileged destination for Italian retirees, just after Spain, representing an increasing challenge for Italian public finances.
