TL;DR
Italy's data protection authority (the Garante) is under investigation after finance police searched its headquarters on Jan. 15, 2026. Prosecutors are probing alleged excessive spending and possible corruption involving the agency's president, Pasquale Stanzione, and three board members.
What happened
Italian finance police conducted a search of the national data protection authority's headquarters on Thursday as part of a probe into potential corruption and embezzlement, Reuters reported. Rome prosecutors are examining the conduct of the agency's president, Pasquale Stanzione, along with three other board members, over alleged excessive spending and possible improper influence behind agency decisions, according to an unnamed judicial source and Italian media. When approached by reporters, Stanzione described himself as "absolutely serene" and declined to say whether he would step down after calls from the opposition Five Star Movement for his resignation. The regulator — known as the Garante — has been a prominent and active enforcer of EU privacy rules, notably in recent actions around AI services and major technology companies.
Why it matters
- A corruption probe could erode public trust in one of the EU's most assertive data regulators.
- If the Garante's leadership is destabilized, enforcement consistency on AI and privacy issues may be affected.
- The investigation may reverberate across technology firms previously targeted by the agency, which could alter compliance dynamics.
- Political responses, including calls for resignation, highlight the potential domestic consequences for regulatory independence.
Key facts
- Date of Reuters report: January 15, 2026.
- Italy's finance police searched the Garante's headquarters on Thursday as part of the inquiry.
- Prosecutors are investigating President Pasquale Stanzione and three board members over alleged excessive spending and possible corruption.
- A judicial source cited by Reuters spoke on condition of anonymity.
- Stanzione told reporters he was "absolutely serene" and declined to answer repeatedly on whether he would resign.
- The opposition Five Star Movement said the agency's credibility had been undermined and called for Stanzione to step down.
- The Garante is one of the EU's more proactive regulators on data privacy and AI platform compliance.
- Recent regulatory actions by the Garante include warnings about deepfake risks from AI tools (including Musk's Grok), a fine and temporary restriction on OpenAI's ChatGPT, and blocking China's DeepSeek chatbot over privacy policy concerns.
What to watch next
- Whether prosecutors will bring formal charges or identify specific instances of embezzlement or corrupt conduct (not confirmed in the source).
- Any decision by Pasquale Stanzione to resign or be suspended from his role (not confirmed in the source).
- Potential short-term impacts on the Garante's enforcement agenda toward AI platforms and major tech firms (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Garante: Italy's national data protection authority responsible for enforcing privacy laws and supervising data-handling practices.
- Deepfake: Synthetic media—often audio or images—generated or altered using AI to replace or manipulate real persons' likenesses.
- Embezzlement: The act of wrongfully appropriating funds entrusted to one's care, typically in a professional or public office.
- AI platform compliance: The process by which providers of artificial intelligence systems adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and oversight requirements.
Reader FAQ
What triggered the investigation into Italy's privacy watchdog?
Finance police searched the Garante's headquarters as part of an inquiry into alleged excessive spending and possible corruption involving its leadership, according to Reuters.
Is Pasquale Stanzione resigning?
Stanzione said he was "absolutely serene" and repeatedly declined to say whether he would step down; a resignation has not been reported in the source.
Has the agency been active against big tech?
Yes. The Garante has recently warned about deepfake risks from certain AI tools, fined and temporarily restricted OpenAI's ChatGPT, and blocked the DeepSeek chatbot over privacy concerns.
Have formal charges been filed?
Not confirmed in the source.
Italy's privacy watchdog, scourge of US big tech, hit by corruption probe By Reuters January 15, 20265:23 PM UTCUpdated 38 mins ago A cyclist pedals as people walk on Ponte…
Sources
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