What was meant to be a monumental tribute to the legendary Valentino Rossi has spiraled into a scandal of epic proportions. In Pesaro, a towering sculpture designed as a giant helmet, standing six meters tall and weighing 400 kilograms, originally crafted to honor the Italian MotoGP icon, has now become the focal point of a raging judicial and political storm. This publicly funded artwork has morphed into a potent symbol of a sweeping investigation that is shaking the Marches region amid the looming elections.
Dubbed as “Affidopoli,” the investigation spearheaded by the prosecutor’s office targets Matteo Ricci, the former mayor of Pesaro and current Democratic Party candidate for the regional presidency. Ricci is embroiled in allegations of corruption and document forgery. The alleged crime? A series of dubious allocations totaling over 600,000 euros to cultural associations, including a controversial 53,802-euro contract for Rossi’s helmet, awarded without a competitive bidding process, ostensibly under the guise of extraordinary green space maintenance.
Prosecutors suspect an elaborate cover-up, disguising fund transfers to entities with close ties to the municipal power under the pretense of urban development. Investigators are scrutinizing the connections between Ricci and the beneficiaries of these subsidies, particularly Stefano Esposto, president of the implicated cultural association, Massimiliano Santini, coordinator of Ricci’s current election campaign, and Franco Arceci, the former chief of staff.
Amidst the avalanche of accusations, Ricci released a video statement decrying what he calls a political attack: “I am surprised, bitter, and angry. I have never managed the tenders nor signed these contracts. If a partner makes a mistake, the mayor is the victim, not the accomplice.” The political fallout was immediate. The Five Star Movement, previously a strategic ally of the Democratic Party for the regional elections, has suspended the electoral pact. Its leader, Giuseppe Conte, demands immediate clarification: “if these facts are confirmed, they are incompatible with our principles.”
This fracture severely jeopardizes the left’s coalition against Francesco Acquaroli, the incumbent far-right governor. However, the saga doesn’t end there. The prosecutor’s probe has expanded to encompass other projects, including murals, renovated underpasses, and roadworks, as well as the Pescheria Foundation and the public company Aspes. What began as an artistic gesture to celebrate a national icon is gradually unveiling a murky web of public fund mismanagement.
The statue of Valentino Rossi, emblematic of Italian speed and passion, now stands at the heart of a scandal far removed from the racetrack. In Pesaro, art has collided with politics, and the courtroom may well be the ultimate finish line.
