Italian courts open trials for sexual exploitation cases in Lazio and Viterbo

A court in the Lazio region has begun the investigative phase of a trial involving three young men from Ceccano, Castro dei Volsci and Rome accused of coordinated revenge‑porn and extortion. Prosecutors say the suspects leveraged personal relationships to obtain intimate photos and videos, then blackmailed the victims. In the latest hearing, a psychiatrist who treated one defendant described him as psychologically fragile, arguing that such a state would make the alleged conduct unlikely. The court will consider the testimony in a December hearing that will move the case to trial.

In Viterbo, a separate criminal proceeding was opened against a 21‑year‑old man of Dominican origin charged with aggravated sexual violence against two female cousins who were 12 and 13 at the time of the alleged abuse in early 2024. Judge Jacopo Rocchi presided over the opening session, and the victims’ statements were recorded through a protected testimony procedure to avoid further trauma. The defendant, represented by lawyer Luigi Mancini, will face the full trial as the investigation proceeds into 2027.