Mayor of quake-hit L'Aquila resigns amid probe into bribes for reconstruction contracts

Published January 08, 2015

Italy's state-run television says the mayor of the quake-ravaged Italian city of L'Aquila has resigned amid fallout from an investigation into bribes allegedly paid to civil servants for contracts to rebuild the city center.

RAI television says Massimo Cialente announced his resignation at a hastily called news conference Saturday, saying he was paying the price for others' misdeeds. It came days after police announced that eight people, including Cialente's deputy, had been placed under investigation in the case. Vice Mayor Roberto Riga said he was innocent but resigned.

Police said $500,000 in bribes was paid to public officials to win contracts between 2009 and 2011.

More than 300 people were killed and thousands of buildings in L'Aquila and the Abruzzo region were damaged by the April 6, 2009, temblor.

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