Florence, Sept. 10 (LaPresse) – The Prato prosecutor's office has placed Claudio Belgiorno, former city councillor for Fratelli d'Italia in Prato, and Andrea Poggianti, current vice president of the Empoli City Council and leader of the "Centrodestra per Empoli" list, under investigation for the suspected repeated and joint offense of illegal dissemination of sexually explicit images (revenge porn) and defamation against lawyer Tommaso Cocci. Cocci is a rising political figure and former Fratelli d’Italia councillor in Prato, who had been considered a potential candidate in the upcoming regional elections.
According to a statement from prosecutor Luca Tescaroli, "the investigation stems from the distribution, which occurred between October 2024 and March 2025, up to early September, of numerous anonymous letters containing private material and serious sexual accusations against Cocci." The incriminating images, showing the lawyer in intimate moments, "were allegedly shared without his consent with politicians, journalists, and supporters from the same political party, Fratelli d’Italia."
The letters, the prosecutor states, "included visual content and described alleged conduct by Cocci during supposed gay orgies, involving – according to the writings – even minors and drug use." The prosecutor’s office believes this was "a deliberate attempt to discredit Cocci’s public image through a true smear campaign."
Searches, inspections, and seizures are currently underway against the two suspects, carried out by the Prato and Florence financial police and the Digos from the Prato police headquarters. The aim, Tescaroli explains, is to gather evidence to confirm or refute the involvement of Belgiorno and Poggianti in the alleged crimes. The two politicians will be questioned in the coming days, should they choose to make statements.
“The investigation,” the statement concludes, “must continue with due confidentiality to ensure the success of the inquiry and protect all those involved.”