Italian high society in shock as millionaire banker throws ultra exclusive engagement party at Turin villa – only to make accusations against fiancée in his speech

Italian high society is reeling after the wedding of a millionaire banker in Turin took a dark turn when the groom accused his bride of cheating in a speech at the engagement party, sparking a huge public row between the couple.

Massimo Segre, 64, gathered guests at his mansion in Turin to celebrate his upcoming wedding to Cristina Seymandi, 47.

But instead of the usual affectionate speech one might expect about a bride-to-be, Massimo instead accused his wife-to-be of cheating, much to the horror of Torinese high society.

At a lavish banquet, he said: “I want to give Cristina the freedom to love”

“Specifically, to love another person; a remarkable lawyer, who she clearly cares about more than me.’

“Dear Cristina, I know how much you are mentally and sexually in love with him,” he added.

“And I know you dated an industry acquaintance before him.”

Stunned, Cristina looks around the room of some 150 guests for support as her fiancé shares painful photos of his partner with another man.

“Don’t think it does me any favors to look like a cuckold to all of you,” Massimo admits to his friends, devastated by his partner’s perceived betrayal as the event comes to a halt.

“Cristina is so good at telling her truths, I couldn’t leave her alone to tell me why I’m ending (our) life together tonight.

“It’s a banal story of infidelity, even premarital. I am so disappointed,” he says. ‘My heart is broken.’

A moment of shock as Cristina looks around, accused of having an affair with a lawyer

He then wishes her well, before telling her to go to Mykonos with her lover, as it has already been paid for.

As soon as the speech ended, the lights dimmed and Massimo left the stage.

Italian media reported that guests were annoyed at being “used” as part of the show.

Stunned guests stared in silence, not knowing what to make of it.

Since the engagement party, a video of one of the guests has gone viral, making Cristina the subject of death threats.

In a letter to the director of the news program Zona Bianca TV, Christina said Massimo committed an act of “psychological violence” and “carefully planned his revenge.”

She added that she had been given a valuable sapphire ring by Massimo’s mother to mark their engagement, which had “mysteriously disappeared” 15 days before the party.

Speaking to the Times, Cristina’s adviser said she will take legal action for “reputational damage” against her former fiancé.

“She has faced very serious attacks on social media and threats against Italian citizens. It’s been traumatic,” she said.

Cristina Seymandi, an entrepreneur and politician

Massimo is pictured (right) in a post on Instagram

Her lawyer, Claudio Strata, added that the banker had “deliberately humiliated” her.

“The letter was read to dozens of people and recorded in a video sent to the newspapers. We don’t think this was improvised.’

Massimo strongly denies publishing the video, let alone allowing it to be filmed.

He has since accused Cristina of stealing €700.00 (£598,000) from the couple’s joint account, but she says the money was transferred with his consent before the relationship ended.

Cristina snapped back in an interview with La Stampa after the event.

She said the bags for Mykonos were “already packed” and urged onlookers to reserve judgment: “Within any family, the dynamics are very complex and difficult to understand from the outside.”

She then said she thought, “He’s lost his mind.”

“He was very tired then,” she said.

“I’m sure there’s someone behind him who fanned the flames. In short, manipulated him.’

She also commented, “The work stands and I can’t afford to lose it.”

“My professional life requires me to react and stay clear. I will think about possible protection in civil and criminal cases.’

Cristina summed up, “It was a farce, let’s face it. Serious matters are solved in a different way.’

“Now I’ll consider whether to charge him,” she said.

Viviana Ferrero, former deputy president of the Turin City Council and friend of Cristina, described the condescension as a “sexist lynching.”

She said: ‘Two things hurt me, the end of a beautiful love story and the lynching in which Cristina has been going on for days. A sexist, chauvinistic, violent, horrific lynching.

She continued, “Dirty laundry runs in the family and they were, even if only for a short time, a very special family.

And they could have been one of the most beautiful couples out there because they combined so many qualities.

“I do not rejoice when the rich cry.”

Massimo’s mother, Franca Bruna Segre, was also known as a key figure in Italian finance, at the top of Banca Intermobiliare before her son became the financier.

The 64-year-old is also a director of Directa Sim, a company that deals in online commerce, and is involved in other sectors, including health and media.

To complicate matters, Cristina is professionally involved in some of these companies, having been listed on LinkedIn as of February as Director of Directa Sim.

She has also been named CEO of Savio Thesan Spa, a company she joined by acquiring its shares through the recently established Hope SRL.

Cristina is the daughter of a renowned accountant from Turin and has fulfilled roles in politics and business during an eventful career.

Cristina watches as Massimo accuses her of having an affair with an unnamed lawyer

In 2021, she supported the mayoral campaign of center-right candidate Paolo Damilano in Turin, who promised to make her deputy if he won.

Damilano lost in the second round to center-left candidate Stefano Lo Russo, and as a candidate for councilor, Cristina only managed to collect 318 ‘preferences’.

Segre and Cristina met around the time of the pandemic, but their marriage was delayed twice because of it.

Finally the plans were made and finalized 200invited guests to the lawn overlooking the Mole Antonelliana, a Turin landmark, to finally announce the date in October.

But what began with general thanks to the crowd for coming took a sudden turn when Segre jumped at the chance to take out his partner.