THEl television program de Hyenas is at the center of a major controversy. The envoy Matteo Viviani has indeed met a man who pretended to be a woman in chatcirculating a young boy who, once he discovered the truth, took his own life. The service that showed the meeting between the “hyena” of the program conceived by Davide Parenti and the man (around Forlimpopoli with his mother, in a wheelchair) was broadcast on Italy 1. Lthe man, however, – Roberto Zaccaria, 64 – took his own life four days later. Lthe prosecutor of Forlì has opened an investigation against unknown persons with the hypothesis of the crime of instigating suicide on the death of the man.
The hyenas and the suicide of the protagonist of the report, the case
Everything has begun two years ago when Danielea twenty-four year old boy from Forlì, he met a girl online who called herself Irene Martini. Behind this girl though there was the sixty-four year old Roberto Zaccaria. The man pretended to be the girl, but he also pretended to be her brother (Braim) and a friend of her (Claudia). The image the man had set in her profile was the photograph of a modelfound on the web.
It was a case of catfishingthat is the deception of someone by one or more people who use fake accounts pretending to be someone else.
The boy and the man exchanged numerous messages (we are talking about 8000 messages) e it seems they were also planning to move in together and get married. All without, of course, that no live meeting had taken place. When Daniele discovered that the account profile picture was fake, he realized he had been duped and took his own life.
The death of the boy and the fine of 825 euros
After the boy’s death (which took place a year ago), his parents became aware of what had happened and decided to present a complaint to the carabinieri. The prosecutor of Forlì opened an investigation with two offenses: “Death as a result of another crime” and “Replacement of person”. It was on that occasion that the name of Roberto Zaccaria appeared.
In June of this year the prosecutor had requested the dismissal of the first crime, condemning the man for substitution of person. All this, however, converting the sentence into a fine of 825 euros.
The service de Hyenas with Roberto Zaccaria
Hyenasso, they decided to take care of the case. Reached by the “hyena” Matteo Viviani while he was around Folimpopoli with his mother, in a wheelchair, Roberto Zaccaria was filled questions from the envoy. Zacharias, from his side, he was trying to get away from the cameras, so as not to be recognized. All while he nervously pushed the pram in which his mother sat.
Once the service has been aired – despite a warning sent to Mediaset by the man’s lawyer, Pier Paolo Benini, in which he asked that the service not be broadcast – many recognized Zaccaria, despite his face having been obscured in post-production. And already the next day, writings appeared around the city. “Die and go to hell”, read one of these.
Four days after the service aired, Zaccaria also took his own life.
What happened after the second suicide of this tragic story
Now, the man’s lawyer explained that the crime hypotheses could be instigation to suicide and private violence. And he explained. “When the envoy de Hyenas he was trying to talk to Zaccaria, he, Roberto, was walking, pushing his mother’s pram. The engagement was very dangerous for the safety of the woman ». Finally, there would be a third offense according to the lawyer: that of defamation in the press.
Now, however, the only certain fact is that the public prosecutor of Forlì has opened an investigation with the hypothesis of the crime of instigating suicide on the death of Roberto Zaccaria. An investigation against unknown persons, at the moment. But that, of course, will have to verify some behaviors implemented by the program Italy 1 in the service that in fact anticipated the public pillory to man.
The criticism of Selvaggia Lucarelli: «For two decades we have witnessed the destruction that Hyenas do journalism “
This aggressive way of interviewing has been heavily criticized by many. First of all Wild Lucarelli, on the pages of Tomorrow. The journalist in fact defined “socially dangerous” the program.
Lucarelli, in particular, has pointed the finger at the method used by Hyenas. “For two decades we have witnessed the havoc that Le Iene make of journalism, that we accept the images of specks in suits chasing people on the street, at their workplace, in their private homes. To microphones slammed on the teeth to snatch slaps and swear words that will serve to prove who the bad guy is, to blunders, to justicialism passed off as justice, to guillotine passed off as journalism ».
The position of Le Iene after Zaccaria’s suicide: “We will continue to deal with the phenomenon”
In the last episode aired, that of 8 November last, Hyenas they went back to the case. And they commented on the news of Zaccaria’s suicide. In a press release from Mediaset we read. “A tragedy within a tragedy. Which not only leaves no one indifferent but has impressed everyone. Because regardless of the reading that each of us can make of this story, we are talking about the life of a man, who due to a perverse mechanism was linked to that of another man and followed the same tragic fate.“.
The report then ends with three questions. «Around this problem is there a regulatory vacuum? And especially, do you have the tools to protect the people most at risk? Because the law provides for the crime of substitution of person, but is it sufficient?“. And also with a promise. “We will continue to deal with the phenomenon. It is important because learning to recognize the problem is the first step in defending oneself ».
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