"They told us to pack our bags and leave the hotel. The rooms hadn't been paid for, and there was no contest in Fiuggi." Simonetta Pusceddu, an aspiring contestant at Masainas along with a friend from the village and 150 other people who had come from all over Italy for the "I superbelli" and "I superbravi" d'Italia competition, still can't believe what happened to her last weekend: she spent almost two thousand euros on registration, meals, plane and train travel to take part in a beauty contest that turned out to be a gigantic scam.
The scam
The organizer, presumed (investigations will reveal) to be responsible for this absurd story, and who nearly risked being lynched on Saturday in downtown Fiuggi, is a Roman actress and producer, Carmen Morello, who has been charged with fraud and has been issued a mandatory expulsion order by the Municipality of Fiuggi by the Frosinone Police Chief. Simonetta Pusceddu, 62, is a veteran of beauty pageants that have taken her, in the "over" category, across Europe and to the Miss Universe finals in the Philippines.
Originally from Masainas, both a mother and grandmother, she left the island thirty years ago to move to Gran Canaria but has always remained tied to Sardinia and to Masainas, where her family lives: "The Fiuggi pageant was supposed to be a beauty, music, and art contest and was supposed to take place between September 24th and 27th, after a summer of selections and regional events," she says. "It was open to participants of all ages, from three-year-olds to 70-year-olds, many of whom had trained for months, spending a lot of money, in the academy linked to the organization that promised potential professional success and experiences in the world of fashion and entertainment." No one suspected a scam, especially since the pageant was in its second year and last year, after the finals on a cruise ship, no one had reported any problems.
The adventures
"My friend and I began to have suspicions when, around September 20th, we were told that the final, originally scheduled for Taranto, would be moved to Calabria, in the province of Cosenza," she continues. "A big problem for those dealing with air travel from the island. We purchased additional tickets at a high price, but then they told us that due to technical problems, the competition would be held in Fiuggi."
More tickets, this time by train from Bari, where they'd landed: "Once in Fiuggi, we felt better. Once we got to the hotel, we unpacked our bags, ironed them, and hung up the clothes we'd purchased, as requested by the organizers." But the next morning, the bitter surprise: "We were having breakfast when the hotel staff asked us to vacate our rooms because only the first night had been paid for: all hell broke loose." Parents with children in tow, disabled people, elderly carers, artists, and beauty queens: everyone in the hotel lobby, swamped with suitcases, and then out into the street: "Few could afford to pay for a room, and there were even some who didn't have money for food, since they'd paid for an experience with room and board included," Simonetta continues. "It was a disaster, shouting, shoving, the police arrived, and someone ended up in the hospital."
Simonetta and her friend decided to return immediately at their own expense: "The return flight was supposed to be to Bari, since Puglia was our first destination. But we preferred to buy a new flight to leave from Fiumicino." Overall, the deception of these 150 people is estimated to be over six hundred thousand euros: "We're almost certain we won't recover anything," says Simonetta. "It's absurd to play with people's dreams and good faith like this. It's a great disappointment."
Stefania Piredda
