The governor of the mafia-heavy Calabria region in southern Italy resigned today after being sentenced to six years in prison for abuse of power this week.
Giuseppe Scopelliti has also been banned for life from elected office -- although the conviction is still subject to an appeal by the politician.
Scopelliti said he would "respect the verdict" but protested his innocence, saying the conviction "sends a disturbing and dangerous message to all politicians".
The case relates to a time when Scopelliti was mayor of the main city in the region, Reggio Calabria.
He was found guilty of knowing about and failing to act against fraud in the city budget between 2008 and 2010 in which tens of millions of euros went missing.
Calabria is a bastion of the 'Ndrangheta organised crime syndicate and is Italy's second poorest region after Campania.
