Arrests in major cyberattack investigation affecting 800,000 people

October 26–28, 2024: Italian authorities announced arrests in a major data breach scandal involving unauthorized access to sensitive government databases (including police investigations, tax records, and financial alerts). Prosecutors in Milan placed four people under house arrest, including former police official Carmine Gallo (head of private investigative firm Equalize) and alleged lead hacker/IT consultant Nunzio Samuele Calamucci. Dozens more (up to 60) were under investigation. The breaches, ongoing from at least 2019 to March 2024, allegedly compromised personal data of at least 800,000 Italians, including high-profile figures like President Sergio Mattarella and former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The group reportedly compiled and sold illegal dossiers to clients or used them for blackmail, generating over €3 million in illicit proceeds.