A senior official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, responsible for the Directorate of Corporate Holdings and Protection of Strategic Assets, is under investigation for insider trading by the Milan Prosecutor's Office, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter who spoke to Reuters.

Stefano Di Stefano is being investigated for purchasing shares in Monte dei Paschi di Siena and Mediobanca during the period when Mps successfully completed its offer for Mediobanca, the sources said.

Prosecutors believe that Di Stefano may have bought shares in the two banks for a total value of around €120,000, one of the sources stated.

Both sources requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Requests for comment from the ministry and Di Stefano went unanswered.

Di Stefano is also a member of the Board of Directors of Mps, in which the Treasury holds a 5% stake.

The prosecutor's office initiated proceedings against him after conducting initial checks as part of a separate investigation focused on Mps's acquisition of Mediobanca.

(Reporting by Antonella Cinelli, editing by Valentina Consiglio)