Sangiuliano, who resigned last week over an affair scandal, faces two separate investigations.

The Rome prosecutor's office is investigating former culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano for misappropriation of public funds and disclosure of confidential documents, Corriere della Sera reported on Tuesday.

The investigation concerns the relationship between Sangiuliano, who resigned last Friday, and his former mistress Maria Rosaria Boccia, and her involvement in institutional activities without having an official role, state broadcaster RAI reports.

The probe will seek to ascertain whether public money was spent on Boccia, a social media influencer and fashion entrepreneur, and whether she had access to confidential email exchanges regarding the upcoming G7 culture summit in Pompeii.

The move comes after the audit court of Lazio on Monday launched an investigation into Sangiuliano, 62, whose resignation followed a scandal over hiring Boccia as an unpaid advisor.

The controversy erupted at the end of August when Boccia, 41, publicly thanked Sangiuliano for appointing her as an advisor for major events, a claim denied by the minister.

The probe by the Lazio audit court will reportedly focus on the minister’s attendance in the company of Boccia at state-funded events, as well as examining if Boccia had access to confidential documents.

Boccia has so far contested the version of events put forward by Sangiuliano who said he revoked her appointment as a ministerial advisor to avoid a conflict of interest due to their romantic relationship.

Sangiuliano stated that Boccia never had access to classified information and that no public funds were spent on her expenses, claims that he repeated in a tearful TV interview last Wednesday during which he admitted to the affair.

Boccia insists that she never incurred any expenses for travel or accommodation during her multiple trips to events around Italy over the summer with Sangiuliano, who claims that he paid for everything himself and has the receipts to prove it.

In an interview with La Stampa, Boccia claimed that she and the minister also went to "personal and private events" including a Coldplay concert, as well as being driven from Rome to Pompeii, and that she has "photos, videos and chats" to back up her claims.

On Monday Sangiuliano welcomed the news of the investigation by the Lazio audit court, stating: "I am pleased that the court of auditors can ascertain the correctness of my behaviour. I reiterate: not a single public euro was spent and I will prove it with documents in hand".

Following his resignation as culture minister on Friday, Sangiuliano was replaced by Alessandro Giuli, president of MAXXI, the National Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome.