Ex-chairman denies spying

Telecom Italia’s former chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera has denied any involvement in alleged illegal activity at the telco. Four ex-TI employees have been arrested for spying on businessmen, competitors and politicians, but Tronchetti has told local newspaper La Stampa: ‘Never in my life, and during the course of my professional career, have I acted in violation of the law, either directly or by giving orders to do so.’ One of those arrested has said that Tronchetti knew of the spying, Dow Jones reports. Tronchetti resigned as chairman of TI following a row over the firm’s planned reorganisation; he is still chairman of Pirelli, the industrial group which has an indirect 14.4% holding in the telco.