Italian prosecutors in both Rome and Florence have opened parallel investigations into the sexist website Phica.net and related online groups that allegedly shared non-consensual images of women, including public figures.
The case gained momentum after Florence Mayor Sara Funaro filed a complaint when her photos were found on the site, accompanied by offensive commentary.
Authorities in Rome, led by Deputy Prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini, are coordinating with Postal Police to examine the extent of the illegal activity. Investigators are also looking into a Facebook group called “Mia moglie” (“My Wife”), which may be linked to the same network involved in distributing unauthorized images of actresses, journalists, and politicians.
The Florence prosecutor’s office is conducting its own inquiry into defamation claims connected to the same events. Investigators have questioned Vittorio Vitiello, a 45-year-old man from Pompeii living in Florence, who reportedly served as an administrator of the sexist website Phica.net.
His name was revealed in a report by Domani newspaper. He has operated a small business since 2023 and was questioned after Mayor Funaro’s complaint.
Investigators uncover evidence of monetized content removal
Cyberintelligence expert Alex Orlowsky, in an analysis for Adnkronos, traced Phica.net’s domain back nearly two decades. He said the site shifted from distributing adult DVDs to becoming a platform for sharing illicit content online.
According to Orlowsky, the administrator began demanding money for content removal as early as 2017, with payment records and chats serving as evidence. He noted that while Vitiello acted as an admin, other individuals and offshore companies are likely involved, obscuring the true management behind layers of anonymity.
Attorney Annamaria Bernardini de Pace is leading a legal team of 12 in preparing both criminal and civil actions. She said the group has already collected hundreds of victim reports and aims to push courts into action through a collective case.
Past efforts, she noted, were often overlooked by judges. She hopes a larger volume of reports will compel the judiciary to treat such violations more seriously. The goal is to minimize legal costs for participants through group action.
Victims demand accountability beyond the website
A woman identified only as “Anna” described discovering her private photos on the site, some of which had been stolen from social media and others potentially taken during phone repairs.
She said images were also being traded on Telegram. Anna stressed the emotional harm suffered by victims and called for the investigation to extend to encrypted platforms.
Phica.net administrators claimed the site was originally created for consensual sharing but was later misused. They announced the platform’s closure, stating regret over its transformation.
