CATANZARO - Hired in 2005 as the fire prevention officer for the Pugliese-Ciaccio Hospital, for over 15 years Stefano Surace had been happily receiving a pay check without doing an hour’s work - a total of 500,000 euros without ever turning up - but now the 66 year old serial absentee has been put under criminal investigation for fraud and extortion, together with six other people.

  According to the investigation by the Guardia di Finanza, those in charge of his employment at the hospital received threats to stop them making disciplinary reports.

  It started in 2005 “when a very distinctive person came without warning to the office of those in charge of the hospital fire service [now on leave and not part of the investigation] making veiled but unambiguous threats to the safety of them and their family, forcing them to overlook disciplinary reports regarding the employee’s absences.”

  Last week authorities in Catanzaro referred 57 other employees of the hospital to the Court, also for absenteeism.

  Video surveillance cameras placed in the offices by the Guardia di Finanza saw that staff were either not turning up to work, or coming in to stamp their identity cards and then leaving.

  Some 15 employees have been fired pending the trial.

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