(1950-)
Italian judge, head of the mani puliti (clean hands) series of anticorruption investigations which began 1992. His investigations into allegations of corruption in Milan's local government proved instrumental in discrediting, and eventually bringing down, Italy's old political order, and opened the door for Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing alliance to win the 1994 general election. In Dec 1994 Di Pietro resigned, claiming his work had been increasingly hampered by government interference.
Prior to entering the legal profession, Di Pietro was a police officer and computer expert. In 1992 he became the de facto leader of a team of seven Milan-based magistrates, who over a period of several years investigated more than 1,000 industrialists and politicians on charges of corruption. In Sept 1994 Di Pietro announced an end to his investigations and proposed a 14-point plan for preventing a recurrence of corruption. Prime Minister Berlusconi gave a cautious welcome to his proposals, but in Dec 1994 Di Pietro resigned, citing undue government interference in his work; within two weeks, the ruling coalition collapsed and Berlusconi (himself under investigation) resigned.
In 1994 Di Pietro was voted Italy's most popular man for his role in the mani puliti.