Former Italian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Piergabriele Papadia de Bottini di Sant’Agnese has been detained in Rome and placed in custody pending the outcome of an investigation, according to Italian daily la Repubblica, cited by Port.
Papadia and an alleged accomplice are under investigation for facilitating illegal immigration and corruption in office. Prosecutors say he orchestrated a scheme to issue long-term tourist visas—valid for one to three years—to Russian nationals who did not meet Schengen requirements.
Investigators believe Papadia, with the help of an assistant, approved visa applications in exchange for illicit payments ranging from €4,000 to €16,000 per person, far above the official fee of €45–€60 per application.
The scheme allegedly operated through three Moscow-based travel agencies—Happy Travel, Visa4you and Park Lane—registered at the same address. At least 95 Russian nationals used these agencies and subsequently entered Italy despite failing to qualify under standard procedures. In some cases, applicants did not reside in the consular district; in others, documents were signed by third parties, or visas were issued without the applicant ever appearing at the consulate.
The irregularities came to light during an Italian Foreign Ministry inspection at the Tashkent embassy in July 2025, when auditors uncovered serious violations. In 81 cases, the names of Russian visa recipients never appeared in the embassy’s visitor registry. “Clear irregularities were found in visa applications, for which the head of mission, Papadia, bears direct responsibility, having marked them ‘OK’ and initialed them,” investigators said.
The probe also found that between January and July 2025, the travel agencies transferred €23,600 to a bank account in Bulgaria, declaring the payments as an interest-bearing loan. The account belongs to Tatyana Tarakanova, a Russian-born Italian citizen living in Bulgaria, who previously worked with Papadia at the Italian consulate in Moscow. After becoming ambassador in Tashkent, he hired her into the visa section.
Prosecutors cited flight risk in requesting Papadia’s detention, noting that shortly before his arrest he had inquired about obtaining a Russian visa. Financial police and prosecutors are now examining around 400 cases and reviewing Papadia’s assets, estimated at €3 million. He claims the wealth was inherited.
