Schengen visas for up to €16,000: Former Italian ambassador to Uzbekistan arrested in alleged corruption probe

Italian diplomat Piergabriele Papadia de Bottini and his assistant, Tatiana Tarakanova, have been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations that they sold Schengen visas for cash at the Italian embassy in Tashkent. Prosecutors revealed that the former ambassador, who took charge of the mission on December 2, 2024, is accused of illegally issuing at least 95 visas during his tenure.

According to investigators, payments for these visas allegedly ranged from €4,000 to €16,000 each. The scheme reportedly included "VIP tariffs" that allowed applicants to obtain travel documents without even appearing at the embassy. Papadia, 56, had added Tarakanova, a 53-year-old Russian-Italian citizen residing in Bulgaria, to his staff shortly after his arrival in Tashkent. The pair had previously worked together at the Italian consulate in Moscow and are now being investigated for facilitating illegal immigration and corruption.

The probe has identified three Moscow-based travel agencies – Happy Travel, Visa4you, and Park Lane – that were allegedly involved in the scheme. All three companies share the same registered address. Evidence suggests that at least 95 individuals entered Italy despite failing to meet standard Schengen entry requirements, with many never setting foot in the consulate for mandatory interviews.

The irregularities were first discovered by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation during a routine inspection on July 23, 2025. Inspectors found that Papadia had allegedly initialed problematic visa applications with "OK." A subsequent review of 92 applications showed that 81 of the applicants had no record of visiting the embassy.

Investigators claim to possess audio recordings of Papadia stating, "I need money," though he has reportedly argued that these remarks must be understood in context. Financial records also show that Visa Consord Travel, a company known to the diplomat since 2014, allegedly transferred €23,600 to Tarakanova’s Bulgarian bank account between January and June 2025.

Authorities are currently scrutinizing approximately 400 additional visa applications linked to the former ambassador, along with assets estimated at €3 million. When contacted by Kun.uz, the Italian embassy in Uzbekistan declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.