Italian prosecutors have placed businessman Valter Lavitola under investigation for allegedly masterminding a bomb attack outside the Rome-area home of prominent investigative reporter Sigfrido Ranucci last October, as reported by The Guardian.
Authorities are investigating Lavitola on suspicion of attempting to cause mass murder.
The development follows the recent police arrests of four individuals who were allegedly paid several thousand euros by the businessman to plant the explosive device.
The blast targeted the home of Ranucci, the host of the state broadcaster Rai's investigative program Report.
It destroyed a vehicle belonging to him and another owned by his daughter, though no injuries were recorded.
Ranucci, who has lived under police protection for years due to recurring threats, revealed that he maintained almost daily contact with the suspect, whom he considered a close acquaintance prior to the investigation.
"A true friend," Ranucci stated.
The investigative journalist noted that their last interaction occurred while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at the businessman's property.
"He was agitated," Ranucci said. "I was also very surprised by this turn of events in the investigation."
The relationship between the two men began in 2019 after Ranucci conducted a journalistic inquiry into Lavitola, a restaurant owner who has faced multiple prior legal proceedings, including a conviction for extorting the late former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Following the detonation, the journalist emphasized that while tracking the perpetrators is complicated by the volume of threats he receives, the localized nature of the incident marked an escalating danger.
Ranucci remarked that he had "never hidden" his connection with Lavitola.
The television program Report regularly covers high-level corruption and has drawn legal challenges from government ministers.
Ranucci has openly criticized alleged political interference within Rai by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration.
The journalist previously detailed the severe risks associated with his work, including a 2024 incident involving bullets discovered outside his residence and a separate foiled assassination plot tied to his book on the Italian mafia.
He described the bomb attack as "a worrying new level" and noted it occurred "right in front of my home."
Investigators are continuing their efforts to establish the definitive motive behind the targeted explosion. Lavitola remains under official investigation by Italian authorities.
Ranucci stated that Lavitola "had given the order to kill" but that the plot "was stopped."
