Scandal rocks Italy – Bastoni accused in underage prostitution case

Italian football has been rocked by a major scandal after it emerged that Alessandro Bastoni, the 27-year-old Italy international and Inter defender, is under official investigation by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office.

Bastoni was formally notified yesterday that legal proceedings have been opened against him on suspicion of having had sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl, as part of a broader investigation into child prostitution.

His name has been directly linked to the scandal surrounding the "Ma.De" escort agency based in Cinisello Balsamo. According to the prosecution, the agency organized all-inclusive evenings and private parties for VIP clients, with a particular focus on professional footballers.

Bastoni is currently the first footballer to be officially named as a suspect in the case, accused of having had relations with a girl who was 17 years old at the time. However, conflicting information has emerged throughout the investigation.

During her testimony as a witness, the girl explicitly denied that she had any sexual relationship with the footballer. Nevertheless, prosecutors and Italy's Financial Police reportedly possess documented evidence confirming that the two met.

The key evidence consists of phone messages. Italy's Financial Police intercepted chat conversations from June 2020 that allegedly show one of the agency's employees arranging a meeting between the Italian defender and the underage girl. As a result, Bastoni is expected to appear before the prosecutor in the coming days to give an official statement, a development confirmed by Gazzetta dello Sport.

As part of the wide-ranging police operation aimed at dismantling the alleged high-end prostitution network, legal notices were also delivered to three other well-known footballers. Riccardo Calafiori, Daniel Maldini, and Kevin Bonifazi are not suspects in the investigation. Instead, they have been summoned solely as witnesses to assist investigators in reconstructing how the agency operated.

The scandal comes at the worst possible moment for Bastoni professionally. Italian media report that the investigation coincides with claims that Jose Mourinho is seriously interested in bringing Bastoni to Real Madrid in order to strengthen the club's defense with one of Inter's key defenders. It remains to be seen how this legal battle will affect his career and any potential summer transfer.