The estimated value of bribes paid annually in the 1980s by Italian and foreign companies bidding for large government contracts reached US$4 billion (6.5 trillion lire).

Tangentopoli, as the scandal came to be called,[1][2] began on 17 February 1992 when Antonio Di Pietro, the judge who became most associated with the investigation,[3][4][5] had Mario Chiesa, a member of the PSI, arrested for accepting a bribe from a Milan cleaning firm.

This marked the beginning of the Mani pulite investigation; news of political corruption began spreading in the Italian press.

[7] In the 1992 Italian general election, the DC held on to power when its coalition government kept a small majority, while leftist opposition parties gained support.

On 2 September 1992, the PSI politician Sergio Moroni, who had been charged with corruption, committed suicide, leaving behind a letter declaring that his crimes were not for his personal gain but for the party's benefit.

Amid public outrage and nationwide rallies, the then Italian president Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (DC) refused to sign the decree, deeming it unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, the Parliament blocked the investigation into Craxi, causing several cabinet ministers including Francesco Rutelli (FdV) and Vincenzo Visco (independent) to resign in protest after three days at their posts.

Meanwhile, Sergio Cusani faced trial and was accused of crimes connected to Enimont, a joint venture between Eni and another energy company, Montedison.

[12] A high note was reached in the Cusani trial when former head of government Arnaldo Forlani (DC), answering a question, simply said: "I don't remember.

"[13] He happened to be very nervous and did not notice that perspiration was accumulating on his lips, and that image was by many considered symbolic of the people's disgust for the corrupt system.

[14] Even the LN was implicated in the trial; secretary Umberto Bossi and former treasurer Alessandro Patelli were convicted for receiving 200 million lire of illegal funding (approximately $100,000 at the time).

This usually trickled down to lower levels, creating power centres depending on political parties that controlled a significant part of the production system.

In the medium term, we find that corruption and voter turnout are lower in competitive municipalities 'treated' with a mayor from the implicated parties during Clean Hands.

"[17] In 2005, artist Gianni Motti created an artwork in the form of a bar of soap, named Mani pulite, based on the scandal.