Italian socialite gets 18 years for fatally hitting man after bag theft
Cinzia Dal Pino jailed after voluntarily striking man who stole her bag in Italy
An Italian socialite has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after being convicted of voluntary manslaughter for fatally hitting a man with her SUV following a bag theft in Viareggio, Italy.
People reported Cinzia Dal Pino, a beach resort entrepreneur in her sixties, was found guilty over the death of Noureddine Mezgui, a homeless Moroccan national, in an incident that took place on September 8, 2024.
Surveillance footage reportedly showed Dal Pino chasing Mezgui with her vehicle and striking him multiple times before retrieving her stolen bag and driving away.
CCTV Footage and Arrest
Dal Pino was arrested the day after the incident while praying in a nearby church, according to ANSA.
The case was widely reported in Italian media, including Corriere della Sera, which cited surveillance evidence showing the sequence of events leading to Mezgui’s death in Viareggio, a coastal town north of Rome.
Court Claims Self-Defence
During earlier proceedings in December 2025, Dal Pino claimed she believed she was in danger after the man allegedly approached her following the bag theft.
She said she pursued him because her belongings contained important personal items, including documents, a watch, and banking information.
“I drove toward him, toward the sidewalk. I didn't want to kill him, just knock him down,” she told the court, adding that she did not realise she had caused his death.
Sentence and Legal Outcome
Dal Pino was sentenced on Thursday, June 11, 2026, for voluntary manslaughter with aggravating circumstances, following a trial in Lucca.
She has been allowed to remain under house arrest while the verdict is under appeal. If the conviction is upheld, she may be required to serve the remainder of her sentence in prison.
Prosecutors had reportedly sought a life sentence, arguing the act amounted to “excessive revenge”, while the defence sought a lesser charge of negligent self-defence.
Dal Pino’s lawyer has confirmed plans to appeal, while representatives of the victim’s family described the ruling as “the decision we’ve been waiting for”
