Two former Italian intelligence officers arrested in Rome for selling state secrets to Russia; four active military under investigation

The arrests

Carabinieri ROS officers surrounded a residential building in Rome during the night and broke down the doors to arrest Gavino Raoul Piras, 59, and Vincenzo di Pasquale, 59. Both are former Carabinieri who served for years in Italy’s intelligence services, specialising in espionage and counter-espionage. They were taken into custody on charges of espionage, illegal access to computer systems, and revealing state secrets.

Spycraft in the park

Investigators documented a low-tech tradecraft: the suspects passed information on handwritten notes exchanged during meetings on park benches or in bars. Phones were hidden inside a microwave, and digital memory cards were concealed in a crack in a street wall. Piras, the main suspect, was the sole point of contact with the Russian handler, a suspected intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover at the Russian embassy in Rome. Each piece of classified information was priced at €4,000 in cash, according to the investigation.

The network

Piras allegedly obtained secrets through six sources, four of them military personnel still in active service and occupying what the Carabinieri described as “extremely sensitive posts.” Those four, along with a fifth individual, are under investigation for procuring news concerning state security, political or military espionage, and revealing prohibited information. The two arrested men had left the intelligence services in 2012 and 2013 respectively, but maintained access to sensitive circles.

Official reaction

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto issued a statement congratulating investigators and warning that there can be no tolerance for those who compromise national security. On social media he described the operation as part of a “hybrid conflict” waged by Russia aimed at weakening institutions, alliances, and security.

There can be no tolerance toward those who compromise or endanger the security of the Republic, especially when individuals in positions of responsibility are involved.

The main suspect

Gavino Raoul Piras, originally from Sassari, Sardinia, had presented himself as an independent intelligence analyst after leaving the service. In 2012 he was awarded the United States Legion of Merit for his work in Afghanistan and Iraq. He attended the NATO school in Oberammergau, Germany, and authored several books, including a 2011 volume on the Russian Federation in international relations. The investigation, launched in May 2025 after a tip from domestic intelligence agency AISI, is being coordinated by deputy prosecutor Antonella Masala of the military prosecutor’s office, military prosecutor Enrico Peluso, and deputy prosecutor Lucia Lotti of the Rome prosecutor’s office.