Bandecchi (mayor of Terni and leader of Alternativa Popolare) sent to trial for tax evasion of €20 million for the Cusano university

The magistrates accuse him of failing to pay approximately 20 million euros between 2018 and 2022, as de facto administrator of the Niccolò Cusano online university. Bandecchi, present in the courtroom and assisted by lawyers Filippo Morlacchini and Ali Abukar, will have to appear on June 4th before the single judge. Three other former executives of the company are also on trial. “They predicted it,” was Bandecchi’s comment leaving the courtroom in Piazzale Clodio in Rome.

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The volcanic mayor of the Umbrian city, leader of the party he founded, Alternativa Popolare, has been at the center of controversy several times for his over-the-top statements and for arguments even in the city council. In June 2024 he had barked at the city councilceasing to respond to questions from the Brothers of Italy and leaving the Chamber. In November of the same year he wrote on social media: “I certainly don’t beg for votes, at most I buy them or I’ll bully them.” In September 2024 he had spat in the face of a citizen who challenged him on the street in Terni, which then had threatened with the phrase: “Which party do you vote for? Be careful.” In the city council in August 2023 he had argued harshly with the FdI advisorstrying to lash out against group leader Marco Cecconi.

Some of his men had then caused a stir comments deemed sexist. “I know that all Italian males have understood, at least the normal ones, and by normal I mean sane. All normal females have understood me. Having said that, it is true that Italy is full of imbeciles and therefore I understand that it is difficult for some to understand my words which I claim all of them, one by one: a normal man looks at another woman’s beautiful ass and maybe even hits on it. Then, if he succeeds, he fucks her too; if he doesn’t succeed, he takes it and goes home. Get offended as much as you want but it’s my idea.” the words of the mayoragain in the city council, in January 2024, after the controversy sparked by his statements during the discussion on an act proposed by minorities on gender violence. On the occasion of his candidacy for the European elections with Alternative Popular, together with Luca Palamara, in March 2024, he responded like this about the women on the list?: “I apologize to the women, but for me women are as fundamental as men, we prefer intelligence. I can also nominate a camel if it is intelligent. I don’t believe in female quotas, for me they don’t exist. For me, women lose out. I have not nominated any camels, but many women and men as well.”