Inter Defender Alessandro Bastoni Under Investigation for Alleged Underage Prostitution

The Inter and Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni is under investigation over alleged underage prostitution as part of an inquiry into an events company that organised “all-inclusive” nights for VIP clients at clubs, Italian prosecutors said on Tuesday. According to investigators, Bastoni allegedly had sex with a 17-year-old girl who had been recruited by a company organising luxury events and dinners for VIPs in Milan. Prosecutors allege the owners of the agency, who are also under investigation, made private apartments available to clients, where they could have sex with underage girls. In wiretaps dating back to 2020 and published by Italian media, Bastoni had clearly “expressed his intention to have sexual intercourse immediately after dinner at the apartment in Cinisello Balsamo”, the case file reportedly reads. In one intercepted conversation, one of the agency’s PR representatives reportedly wrote to Bastoni: “I think the underage girl wants to sleep with you. I think she wants to have some fun.” Bastoni allegedly replied: “Are there any places where we can hide there?” The PR representative allegedly responded: “We’ll figure something out. At worst, you can take her home.” According to prosecutors, the agency induced the girl into prostitution on the evening of 11 July 2020. The girl, who was questioned in recent days as a witness, said she had been to the footballer’s home but denied having had sexual intercourse with him. Bastoni’s lawyer, Salvatore Scuto, said: “I can rule out that my client ever paid for sex, let alone had sexual relations with minors.” Under Italian law, sexual acts with minors aged between 14 and 18 in exchange for money or any other benefit, even if only promised, are punishable by between one and six years in prison. Bastoni has faced intense criticism from Italy supporters following the national team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup finals tournament after his early red card in the defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in April, which ended Italy’s qualification hopes. Two months earlier, Bastoni had also found himself at the centre of controversy during Inter’s game against Juventus after he was widely accused of diving, leading to the wrongful dismissal of the Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu. Bastoni had already been booked and could have been handed a second yellow card, either for simulation or for attempting to influence the referee’s decision. Instead, he celebrated as Kalulu was sent off. The Juve player appealed in vain for a VAR review, but second yellow cards cannot be reviewed under the current regulations.