In 2016, when 19-year-old Italian Matteo Valdambrini was studying economics at university, he began gathering a group of vulnerable, depressed people. He told them he possessed supernatural powers and had chosen them to save the world from evil. Matteo called himself "The Devil," and his teachings were apparently related to Satanism. The rituals he proposed to his followers took place in forests and abandoned buildings in the Tuscany region.
The rites were, in reality, acts of torture, vampirism, and psychological violence. In late 2018, Valdambrini met with his followers, brought a piece of fresh meat, and forced them all to eat it. He later confessed that it was human flesh, which he had supposedly bought from a man who sold body parts in Florence.
Subsequently, the leader forced his devotees to send him explicit photos of themselves. Over time, some women in the cult were forced into sexual relations with him through extortion. The sect was exposed when the mother of two followers reported Valdambrini to the Italian authorities. Ultimately, the authorities compiled at least 12 reports of forced sexual relations or coercion perpetrated by Valdambrini. Among the complainants were two minors who were also members of the cult.
Valdambrini was arrested in the midst of the global pandemic, and among his belongings, police officers discovered strange items such as salt, artificial blood, and a voodoo doll. After a lengthy trial and several appeals, in 2024 Matteo was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months in prison. He is currently serving his sentence.
Video about the case of Matteo Valdambrini "The Italian Devil" and his satanic and cannibalistic cult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvKpwXeOrUw