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Pseudo-sect investigation and arrests in Val di Susa
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2026-10-03 00:22 UTC → 2026-10-05 13:42 UTC ·
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Authorities in Torino have arrested 59-year-old Bruno Antonio Malatesta following an investigation into a suspected pseudo-sect operating in the Val di Susa region. Malatesta, who referred to himself as ‘the chosen one’ and a ‘Maestro,’ allegedly used yoga, meditation, and martial arts courses to target and psychologically manipulate vulnerable individuals, primarily women. Investigators from the Torino Investigative Nucleus and the Turin Prosecutor's Office report that Malatesta managed a residential community, potentially through the Fiore della Pace Foundation, where followers were forced to take vows of poverty and obedience and surrender their assets. The group reportedly lived in residential villas and wore orange robes. Malatesta faces multiple charges, including reduction to slavery, sexual abuse (including against minors), domestic maltreatment, and aggravated fraud. The investigation also documented instances of forced labor involving shifts of up to 13 hours and paid ‘sexual therapies.’ Three collaborators are also under investigation for their roles in managing the community. The probe, which began in March 2024, was bolstered A two-year investigation by the persistence of an ex-husband who filed a complaint Carabinieri suggests Malatesta subjected followers, including children as early young as 2018. While that initial report was archived, subsequent complaints and the ongoing Carabinieri investigation led to the current arrests. Victims, often referred 11, to as ‘nuns’ or ‘adepts,’ physical and psychological violence, sexual abuse, and slavery-like conditions. Victims were allegedly subjected reportedly forced to the aforementioned abuses shave their heads, wear specific clothing, and coerced labor. live in a state of total dependence, performing tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and agricultural work. The case highlights a broader trend in Italy, where experts estimate approximately 13 million people are involved in various coercive groups, including religious, magical, or pseudotherapeutic sects. There are an estimated 530 such groups active nationwide.
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- 2026-10-05 13:42 UTC Pseudo-sect investigation and arrests in Val di Susa
- 2026-10-03 00:22 UTC Pseudo-sect investigation and arrests in Val di Susa
- 2026-10-02 09:38 UTC Pseudo-sect investigation and arrests in Val di Susa
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