A hospital employee in Italy allegedly received full pay for more than 15 years despite never turning up for work.
Italian police said on Wednesday that serial absenteeist Salvatore Scumace, 66, had been placed under investigation for fraud, extortion and abuse of office, news agency ANSA reported.
Investigators allege Scumace was put on the books of Ciaccio Hospital in the southern city of Catanzaro in 2005, but never came in to work.
He was reportedly paid a total of €538,000 ($835,000) over the years he was he was thought to be working, or about €56,000 per year.
The average annual salary in Italy is just over €30,000.
According to local media, six of Scumace’s superiors have also been placed under investigation in connection with his absenteeism.
The managers and staff were named as Nino Critelli, 66, Vittorio Prejanò, 64, Maria Pia De Vito, 68, Domenico Canino, 62, Laura Fondacaro, 52, and Antonio Molè, 53.
According to the BBC, the arrests come after a lengthy police…