Giorgia Meloni likely to testify against Italy’s ‘paparazzi king’ in fake photo case: Report

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is preparing to give evidence in a high-profile defamation case against controversial paparazzo Fabrizio Corona, who is accused of spreading false rumours that she was romantically involved with a fellow politician.

The case centres around claims published in 2023 by Dillingernews, a gossip and news website founded by Corona, which suggested Meloni had entered into a relationship with Manlio Messina, a Sicilian MP from her conservative Brothers of Italy party.

Italian prosecutors allege the story was entirely fabricated and supported using digitally manipulated photographs designed to make the pair appear closer than they actually were.

The allegations surfaced in October 2023, shortly after Meloni ended her long-term relationship with television presenter Andrea Giambruno, the father of her daughter. Their split followed controversy surrounding leaked footage in which Giambruno was seen making sexually inappropriate and sexist comments towards female colleagues during television broadcasts.

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Against that backdrop, Dillingernews published an article hinting that Meloni had found a new romantic connection with Messina. The website referenced supposed “whispers from Catania” and described the politician as a rising figure who had allegedly “brought love back” into the prime minister’s life.

Prosecutors now accuse Corona of “promoting the untrue story” using “absolutely unfounded” claims alongside manipulated images.

According to investigators, three of the five photographs published alongside the report were digitally altered. In two images, another colleague who had originally appeared alongside Meloni and Messina was allegedly removed from the frame to create the impression the pair were alone together. In another photograph, two women near a revolving door entrance were reportedly erased from the image, leaving the appearance that Meloni and Messina had arrived together privately.

Investigators also reportedly identified visible inconsistencies in the edited photographs, including unnatural alterations around Meloni’s hair.

The images are believed to have originally been taken from Messina’s social media accounts.

Corona has denied wrongdoing and rejected accusations that he knowingly spread false information.

The case has also attracted attention because of where the hearing is expected to take place. Rather than appearing before a court in Milan, Meloni exercised her right as prime minister to request that proceedings involving her testimony be held at Palazzo Chigi, the official residence and office of the Italian prime minister in Rome.

Italian media have described the arrangement as an unusual judicial scenario, given that the prime minister and the defendant are expected to come face-to-face inside government offices rather than a traditional courtroom setting.

Corona remains one of Italy’s most recognisable and controversial media personalities. Once dubbed the country’s “king of paparazzi”, he previously ran a celebrity photography empire before becoming embroiled in multiple legal scandals over the years, including convictions linked to tax evasion, blackmail, assault and counterfeit currency offences.

The hearing was initially expected to take place this week but has since been postponed.