Meeting with Luigi De Magistris

Luigi De Magistris, former magistrate and former Mayor of Naples, will be in conversation with former Public Prosecutor Paolo Bernasconi at an event dedicated to analysing contemporary organised crime in Italy and beyond. The discussion will cover crucial topics such as the evolution of mafia-related phenomena, possible strategies for combating them, and the challenges faced by those who fight against them. A direct and practical discussion, enriched by the personal experiences of the participants, on a phenomenon from which even Switzerland is not immune.

Luigi De Magistris became a magistrate in 1993 and subsequently served as a deputy public prosecutor at the public prosecutor’s offices in Catanzaro (1995–1998), Naples (1998–2002) and again in Catanzaro (2002–2009), dealing in particular with corruption, organised crime and links to politics. From 2009 to 2011, he served as a Member of the European Parliament, chairing the Committee on Budgetary Control. From 2011 to 2021, he was Mayor of Naples. He is currently a lawyer, lecturer, politician, actor in civic theatre and writer.

Paolo Bernasconi, as Public Prosecutor in Lugano from 1969 to 1985, led investigations and trials into major Swiss and international financial scandals. He is one of the principal architects of Swiss anti-money laundering legislation. He is internationally recognised for his expertise in the fight against corruption and economic crime. After leaving the judiciary, he returned to practising law, combining this with teaching criminal law at various Swiss universities and at the Centre for Banking Studies. He is a promoter of film festivals and human rights forums in Milan, Lugano and Zurich, a former President of ‘Ethics and Compliance Switzerland’ (ECS), and a former member of the Board of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.