The mayor of the city of Sorento in southern Italy, Masimo Coppola was caught red-handed by the Italian Financial Police while bribing during a dinner party.

According to information so far, the 48-year-old mayor was arrested while pocketing an envelope of money at a dinner organized after a local sporting event.

The arrested man had allegedly promised preferential treatment to the person who handed him the money, the amount of which is not known.

Coppola, who is a lawyer, was elected mayor of Sorento five years ago, with the support of a number of local constituencies not directly linked to the country’s major political parties.