Operational Unit of the Carabinieri of Turin
The Operational Unit of the Carabinieri of Turin (Reparto Operativo dei Carabinieri di Torino) is the investigative branch of the Carabinieri’s provincial command based in Turin, responsible for judicial police investigations in the city and province. In autumn 2026 it is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Diego Berlingieri.[1][2]
Operation "Asmodeo"
In September 2026 the Operational Unit of the Carabinieri of Turin carried out an operation code-named "Asmodeo," coordinated by the Turin public prosecutor’s office and followed by deputy prosecutor Davide Pretti, concerning a community in Almese, in the Susa Valley, run by Bruno Antonio Malatesta, a 59-year-old yoga teacher. According to the prosecution, Malatesta, through yoga and self-defence classes, approached vulnerable people, housed them within his residential community and subjected them to physical and psychological abuse, as well as sexual violence, sleep deprivation and beatings. Malatesta was arrested by the carabinieri at dawn on 30 September 2026.[2]
The first complaints from alleged victims date back to 2017, seven years before the carabinieri’s investigation began; according to reports, these were sporadic complaints that were in part contradictory. At the time of the operation, several dozen people had been identified as possible victims, with the investigation still ongoing.[2]
The appeal to victims
On 30 September 2026 the commander of the Operational Unit, Lieutenant Colonel Diego Berlingieri, made a public appeal to anyone who recognises themselves as a victim of the abuse attributed to Malatesta, inviting those concerned to contact the carabinieri stations with local jurisdiction to file a complaint. Berlingieri stated: "These are victims who did not know they were victims," underlining the methods by which the alleged "guru" is said to have lured the people involved.[1][2]
On the same occasion the Operational Unit also issued a general warning about caution towards figures who present themselves as spiritual guides or experts without professional accreditation, recommending that, when necessary, people turn exclusively to qualified professionals.[2]
Related articles: Carabinieri appeal to the victims of the Almese sect, Diego Berlingieri, Operation «Asmodeo»: arrest for enslavement in a pseudo-spiritual community (October 2026)
Sources
- La Stampa — 1 October 2026
- CronacaQui Torino — 1 October 2026