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Phica Shuts Down as Probe Targets Alleged Italian Operator Linked to Bulgaria Firm

Police are fielding hundreds of complaints to trace administrators and users.

Overview

  • Site administrators announced the forum’s closure and said they would delete content after days of public denunciations and press reports.
  • Polizia Postale and multiple prosecutors are investigating and verifying how images were obtained and shared, with efforts focused on identifying platform operators and commenters.
  • Reporting points to an alleged Italian figure tied to Hydra Group Eood in Sofia, with investigators and media scrutinizing the forum’s ownership structure.
  • Politicians and public figures, including Giorgia Meloni and Elly Schlein, were among those depicted, and several have filed or announced criminal complaints and collective actions.
  • Forum users sought to scrub posts and accounts as government officials signaled potential measures to strengthen monitoring and enforcement against non‑consensual image sharing.