Riccardo Fraccaro mask scandal resurfaces as Giuseppe Conte promises parliamentary seat

In July 2026, during a parliamentary inquiry into Italy’s pandemic response, former undersecretary Riccardo Fraccaro confirmed that on 8 July 2020 a customs official handed him a dossier showing that Chinese‑origin masks supplied to doctors, nurses and police were counterfeit and unsuitable. Fraccaro said he never opened the file, claiming the judiciary already possessed all documentation, and he did not inform Prime Minister Conte or other officials.

The case, tied to the Conte II government’s emergency procurement, has seen most related prosecutions dismissed after legal reforms, leaving only two minor defendants. Amid renewed scrutiny, rumours indicate that former prime minister Giuseppe Conte plans to allocate a blocked parliamentary seat to Fraccaro, enabling his return to the Chamber of Deputies and bolstering allies within the Five Star Movement.