Former top executive at Italy's Monte dei Paschi sent to trial - sources

FILE PHOTO - Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena Chairman Alessandro Profumo (L) and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Viola attend a news conference at the company's headquarters in Siena May 10, 2012. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito/File Photo

MILAN (Reuters) - Fabrizio Viola and Alessandro Profumo, who served as chief executive and chairman of Italian lender Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena <BMPS.MI>, have been sent to trial in Milan on alleged market rigging and accounting fraud, legal sources said on Friday.

The lawyers representing the two executives declined to comment on the issue.

Monte dei Paschi was also sent to trial. Under Italian law companies are deemed responsible for the actions of their managers and can be fined if found guilty.

Alessandro Profumo is currently chief executive of state-controlled defence company Leonardo <LDOF.MI>.

(Reporting by Manuela D'Alessandro; writing by Francesca Landini)