US film producer Francis Kaufmann accused of murdering Anastasia Trofimova and her baby in Rome
The California native, named in an international arrest warrant and by Italian police as Francis Kaufmann, was extradited over the weekend.
Italian police say the 46-year-old previously used an authentic US passport in the name of Rexal Ford and an Italian identity card in the name of Matteo Capozzi.
The preliminary hearing took place in Rome's Rebibbia prison on Tuesday.
According to the Rome prosecutor's office, Kaufmann exercised his right not to answer any questions and did not respond to the charges against him.
He was questioned by investigating judge Flavia Costantini and Rome prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini, and was represented by lawyer Carlo Ludovico Favino, the prosecutor's office said.
The bodies of Anastasia Trofimova, 29, and her 11-month-old baby were found separately in overgrown areas of Rome's Villa Pamphili park on June 7.
The baby girl had been starved and strangled, but the cause of her mother's death has still not been determined, police said in early July.
The victims' identities were unknown for more than a week before an Italian TV show that highlights missing persons ran photos released by police of Trofimova's extensive tattoos, which her mother in Moscow recognised after a friend sent them to her.
Subsequently interviewed for the missing persons show, Trofimova's mother said her daughter had met a man she knew by the name Rexal Ford in Malta, where she was studying English.
She had never met her granddaughter, but was in sporadic touch with the couple and child, she told Italian investigators and Italian media.
Kaufmann, who has denied involvement in the murders, was arrested on the Greek island of Skiathos on June 13. He fought extradition through a local lawyer who no longer represents him.
Italian police say his DNA was found on the black garbage bag in which Trofimova's body was found. DNA testing to determine if Kaufmann is the baby's father will be carried out now that he is in Italy.
Kaufmann, who promoted himself as a film producer and screenwriter, used his Rexal Ford alias to scout movie locations, including several rooftop terraces in Rome, Cascini said in a press conference last week announcing Kaufmann's impending extradition to Rome.
Italian police said in a press conference on June 11 that Kaufmann, Trofimova and the baby lived rough in various parks in Rome and ate at the city's soup kitchens, despite him having multiple credit cards and often taking potential film investors to expensive restaurants.
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The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Historic plea as NZ soldier admits espionage attempt
A New Zealand soldier who tried to spy for a foreign power has admitted to attempted espionage in a military court. Monday's conviction was the first for spying in New Zealand's history. The soldier's name was suppressed, as was what country to which he sought to pass secrets. Military court documents said the man believed he was engaged with a foreign agent in 2019 when he tried to communicate military information including base telephone directories and maps, assessments of security weaknesses, his own identity card and log-in details for a military network. The wording of the charge said his actions were "likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand". He was not speaking to a foreign agent, but an undercover New Zealand police officer collecting intelligence on alleged right-wing extremist groups, documents supplied by the military court showed. The soldier came to law enforcement attention as part of an operation that was established after a March 2019 terrorist attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch, when an Australian white supremacist opened fire on Muslim worshippers, killing 51. He was based at Linton Military Camp near the city of Palmerston North. Officers spoke to the man twice about his involvement in a group, court documents showed, and after the government became aware he had expressed a desire to defect he was contacted by the undercover officer. When the soldier's hard drive was searched, investigators found a copy of Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant's live-streamed video of his massacre and a manifesto document he published online before the killings. Possession of either without permission is a criminal offence in New Zealand and the soldier, who admitted that charge too, joins several others convicted in New Zealand of having or sharing the terrorist's banned material. In a statement read to the court by his lawyer, the man said the two nationalist groups with which the man was involved were "no more than groups of friends with similar points of view to my own", according to Radio New Zealand. The lawyer, Steve Winter, added that his client denied supporting the Christchurch shooter's ideology, RNZ reported. The soldier also pleaded guilty to accessing a military computer system for dishonest purposes. Each of the three charges carries a maximum prison term of either seven or 10 years in New Zealand. His sentence is expected to be delivered by a military panel within days of his conviction. His was the first charge in a New Zealand military court for espionage or attempted spying. The last time such a case reached the civilian courts before was in 1975, when a public servant was acquitted on charges alleging he had passed information to Russian agents. A New Zealand soldier who tried to spy for a foreign power has admitted to attempted espionage in a military court. Monday's conviction was the first for spying in New Zealand's history. The soldier's name was suppressed, as was what country to which he sought to pass secrets. Military court documents said the man believed he was engaged with a foreign agent in 2019 when he tried to communicate military information including base telephone directories and maps, assessments of security weaknesses, his own identity card and log-in details for a military network. The wording of the charge said his actions were "likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand". He was not speaking to a foreign agent, but an undercover New Zealand police officer collecting intelligence on alleged right-wing extremist groups, documents supplied by the military court showed. The soldier came to law enforcement attention as part of an operation that was established after a March 2019 terrorist attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch, when an Australian white supremacist opened fire on Muslim worshippers, killing 51. He was based at Linton Military Camp near the city of Palmerston North. Officers spoke to the man twice about his involvement in a group, court documents showed, and after the government became aware he had expressed a desire to defect he was contacted by the undercover officer. When the soldier's hard drive was searched, investigators found a copy of Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant's live-streamed video of his massacre and a manifesto document he published online before the killings. Possession of either without permission is a criminal offence in New Zealand and the soldier, who admitted that charge too, joins several others convicted in New Zealand of having or sharing the terrorist's banned material. In a statement read to the court by his lawyer, the man said the two nationalist groups with which the man was involved were "no more than groups of friends with similar points of view to my own", according to Radio New Zealand. The lawyer, Steve Winter, added that his client denied supporting the Christchurch shooter's ideology, RNZ reported. The soldier also pleaded guilty to accessing a military computer system for dishonest purposes. Each of the three charges carries a maximum prison term of either seven or 10 years in New Zealand. His sentence is expected to be delivered by a military panel within days of his conviction. His was the first charge in a New Zealand military court for espionage or attempted spying. The last time such a case reached the civilian courts before was in 1975, when a public servant was acquitted on charges alleging he had passed information to Russian agents. A New Zealand soldier who tried to spy for a foreign power has admitted to attempted espionage in a military court. Monday's conviction was the first for spying in New Zealand's history. The soldier's name was suppressed, as was what country to which he sought to pass secrets. Military court documents said the man believed he was engaged with a foreign agent in 2019 when he tried to communicate military information including base telephone directories and maps, assessments of security weaknesses, his own identity card and log-in details for a military network. The wording of the charge said his actions were "likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand". He was not speaking to a foreign agent, but an undercover New Zealand police officer collecting intelligence on alleged right-wing extremist groups, documents supplied by the military court showed. The soldier came to law enforcement attention as part of an operation that was established after a March 2019 terrorist attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch, when an Australian white supremacist opened fire on Muslim worshippers, killing 51. He was based at Linton Military Camp near the city of Palmerston North. Officers spoke to the man twice about his involvement in a group, court documents showed, and after the government became aware he had expressed a desire to defect he was contacted by the undercover officer. When the soldier's hard drive was searched, investigators found a copy of Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant's live-streamed video of his massacre and a manifesto document he published online before the killings. Possession of either without permission is a criminal offence in New Zealand and the soldier, who admitted that charge too, joins several others convicted in New Zealand of having or sharing the terrorist's banned material. In a statement read to the court by his lawyer, the man said the two nationalist groups with which the man was involved were "no more than groups of friends with similar points of view to my own", according to Radio New Zealand. The lawyer, Steve Winter, added that his client denied supporting the Christchurch shooter's ideology, RNZ reported. The soldier also pleaded guilty to accessing a military computer system for dishonest purposes. Each of the three charges carries a maximum prison term of either seven or 10 years in New Zealand. His sentence is expected to be delivered by a military panel within days of his conviction. His was the first charge in a New Zealand military court for espionage or attempted spying. The last time such a case reached the civilian courts before was in 1975, when a public servant was acquitted on charges alleging he had passed information to Russian agents. A New Zealand soldier who tried to spy for a foreign power has admitted to attempted espionage in a military court. Monday's conviction was the first for spying in New Zealand's history. The soldier's name was suppressed, as was what country to which he sought to pass secrets. Military court documents said the man believed he was engaged with a foreign agent in 2019 when he tried to communicate military information including base telephone directories and maps, assessments of security weaknesses, his own identity card and log-in details for a military network. The wording of the charge said his actions were "likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand". He was not speaking to a foreign agent, but an undercover New Zealand police officer collecting intelligence on alleged right-wing extremist groups, documents supplied by the military court showed. The soldier came to law enforcement attention as part of an operation that was established after a March 2019 terrorist attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch, when an Australian white supremacist opened fire on Muslim worshippers, killing 51. He was based at Linton Military Camp near the city of Palmerston North. Officers spoke to the man twice about his involvement in a group, court documents showed, and after the government became aware he had expressed a desire to defect he was contacted by the undercover officer. When the soldier's hard drive was searched, investigators found a copy of Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant's live-streamed video of his massacre and a manifesto document he published online before the killings. Possession of either without permission is a criminal offence in New Zealand and the soldier, who admitted that charge too, joins several others convicted in New Zealand of having or sharing the terrorist's banned material. In a statement read to the court by his lawyer, the man said the two nationalist groups with which the man was involved were "no more than groups of friends with similar points of view to my own", according to Radio New Zealand. The lawyer, Steve Winter, added that his client denied supporting the Christchurch shooter's ideology, RNZ reported. The soldier also pleaded guilty to accessing a military computer system for dishonest purposes. Each of the three charges carries a maximum prison term of either seven or 10 years in New Zealand. His sentence is expected to be delivered by a military panel within days of his conviction. His was the first charge in a New Zealand military court for espionage or attempted spying. The last time such a case reached the civilian courts before was in 1975, when a public servant was acquitted on charges alleging he had passed information to Russian agents.
7NEWS
8 hours ago
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Australian volunteer soldier Casey Gadaleta lost his leg in battle but is returning to Ukraine
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Gadaleta decided to volunteer for Ukraine early last year after reading reports of what he called 'Russia's war crimes on innocent civilians'. Return to the trenches He had no previous military experience and was given intensive training by the Ukrainian Armed Forces before spending six months on the battlefield. He says that time in combat will make him an asset for the battered country. He is confident they will take him back into a frontline role. 'Training people takes time, resources and money,' he said. 'I'm valuable based on my training and experience. 'Good people are hard to come by. 'Knowing the terrain, knowing how battle formations exist, how they operate on the battlefield and how to position men when you're in contact. 'They've told me they'll take me back.' Gadaleta insists he is breaking no laws. 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He doesn't know where he will be deployed once his treatment is complete, saying it could be in logistics, transport, training, drone aviation or communications. But he wants to go back to the trenches. 'I would prefer to be in an assault role,' he said. 'A combat role, that's what I like.' One-way ticket to Ukraine 7NEWS asked Gadaleta if he'd bought a return ticket. 'No. One way, a one-way ticket.' Ukraine is believed to have lost at least 46,000 members of the armed forces since Russia invaded in February 2022. Thousands more are missing in action. A further 400,000 military personnel are estimated to have been injured. Authorities estimate that around 60 per cent of them return to service. The war-torn nation is constantly struggling to recruit and retain personnel. Amputee soldiers are now a regular sight on the battlefield. Gadaleta is travelling lite into the warzone – he's taking one bag, his new leg and a large jar of Vegemite. The Ukraine veteran is also taking a new tattoo. Inked on to his right calf are the words 'Lucky Ducky' with a picture of a gun-toting cartoon duck. Below that, in Ukrainian, is written: 'One leg is here - and one leg is in Kursk. Gadaleta had been serving with Ukraine's 80th Brigade when he was injured. His call sign was 'Dundee' — after Crocodile Dundee. He remembers December 8, 2024, as the day that changed his life. His six-man unit was on a mission in Kursk and approaching a target through deep snow when he triggered the anti-personnel mine. 'Literally like one step and there's this bright light and I thought our guys accidentally dropped a grenade on me,' he said. 'I thought these guys just hit me by accident. 'At first, I didn't feel anything. 'Someone yelled out are you alright? and I said 'bro my leg's gone. He said what? I said bro it's gone'.' Sustained severe injuries A firefight began and the Russians advanced on his position. When he tried to grab his weapon, he realised his hand was in pieces. But Gadaleta's calls for help went unanswered. He was told he had to use his medical training and fend for himself, using tourniquets to stem the bleeding. 'I'm begging them, I'm breaking down. I shouted, 'I'm gonna die, I'm gonna freeze to death. I'm bleeding so much'.' He said he went 20 hours without first aid, or pain relief, sitting in minus 4 degrees and soaked in blood. 'I honestly thought, yeah, I'm gonna die.' He was finally taken back into Ukraine and hospitalised in Kyiv. But he claims a three-week wait for surgery cost him his lower leg. 'My leg died, it basically turned to a black colour. They had to amputate,' he said. He also has shrapnel in his arm and his face. Gadaleta has a Bachelor of Science and two diplomas but made the decision to volunteer for the Ukraine Armed Forces after friends sent him photos and details of Russian war crimes. 'I was disgusted with it and I thought, how can a human being do that to another human being?' 'And I just thought, 'I want to give my life to this cause'.' 'I paid my own way here. I paid for my rent and food. I sold my investment property to cover it all.' 'I wasn't naive about it. I knew that with all the casualties it wasn't a matter of if, but when I was injured.' He calls Russian President Vladimir Putin 'a modern-day Hitler'. He says he was horrified when he saw the news reports from Alaska on the weekend of President Donald Trump giving Putin a red-carpet welcome. He called it an insult to Ukraine. 'I didn't think it was real. I thought it was A.I,' he said. 'That's how crazy I thought it was.' His dedication and sacrifice for Ukraine has already been recognised by the nation's Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko. Myroshnychenko rang Gadaleta to offer thanks. 'For me personally, and all Ukrainian people, you're a hero,' he told him this year. 'Thank you very much.' Seven Australians are believed to have been killed in Ukraine and the Russians have captured and imprisoned Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins. Gadaleta knows he has put life and limb on the line already for Ukraine. He lost the latter but has no fear of losing it all.
Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
Historic plea as NZ soldier admits espionage attempt
A New Zealand soldier who tried to spy for a foreign power has admitted to attempted espionage in a military court. Monday's conviction was the first for spying in New Zealand's history. The soldier's name was suppressed, as was what country to which he sought to pass secrets. Military court documents said the man believed he was engaged with a foreign agent in 2019 when he tried to communicate military information including base telephone directories and maps, assessments of security weaknesses, his own identity card and log-in details for a military network. The wording of the charge said his actions were "likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand". He was not speaking to a foreign agent, but an undercover New Zealand police officer collecting intelligence on alleged right-wing extremist groups, documents supplied by the military court showed. The soldier came to law enforcement attention as part of an operation that was established after a March 2019 terrorist attack on two mosques in the city of Christchurch, when an Australian white supremacist opened fire on Muslim worshippers, killing 51. He was based at Linton Military Camp near the city of Palmerston North. Officers spoke to the man twice about his involvement in a group, court documents showed, and after the government became aware he had expressed a desire to defect he was contacted by the undercover officer. When the soldier's hard drive was searched, investigators found a copy of Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant's live-streamed video of his massacre and a manifesto document he published online before the killings. Possession of either without permission is a criminal offence in New Zealand and the soldier, who admitted that charge too, joins several others convicted in New Zealand of having or sharing the terrorist's banned material. In a statement read to the court by his lawyer, the man said the two nationalist groups with which the man was involved were "no more than groups of friends with similar points of view to my own", according to Radio New Zealand. The lawyer, Steve Winter, added that his client denied supporting the Christchurch shooter's ideology, RNZ reported. The soldier also pleaded guilty to accessing a military computer system for dishonest purposes. Each of the three charges carries a maximum prison term of either seven or 10 years in New Zealand. His sentence is expected to be delivered by a military panel within days of his conviction. His was the first charge in a New Zealand military court for espionage or attempted spying. The last time such a case reached the civilian courts before was in 1975, when a public servant was acquitted on charges alleging he had passed information to Russian agents.
