Retired Italian Performer Wins Employment Discrimination Lawsuit

Retired Italian Performer Wins Employment Discrimination Lawsuit

ROME — A judge has ordered an Italian university to pay 4,000 euros ($4,290) to a prestigious academic after dismissing him, an action he alleged was prompted by his former career as an adult performer.

Professor Ruggero Freddi performed in gay porn in the U.S. as Carlo Masi between 2004 and 2013 for Colt Studios, and later went on to receive advanced degrees in engineering and mathematics. He was awarded 2,500 euros for unpaid hours and 1,500 euros for “unjustified dismissal” by a civil court in Rome.

The outcome was publicized last week by La Repubblica and the Italian edition of Vanity Fair.

In 2019, after two years teaching in the Faculty of Engineering of Sapienza University in Rome, Freddi was dismissed without a reason. The university also withheld the pay he was due at the time.

“I was forced to sue,” he told Vanity Fair. “And I won. I hope my case will give courage to all doctoral students who are exploited, after years of studies and specializations.”

Freddi, who is currently working as a data analyst, told the publication that while he does not have concrete proof, he has “a very clear and increasingly strong feeling” that his gay porn past played a crucial role in the dismissal.

“It's just my opinion,” he noted. “But I felt like there was prejudice around me, which was beyond my ability as a teacher.”

The extra fine attached to the judgment appears to indicate that the judge agreed with Freddi that an act of unjustified discrimination had taken place.

Freddi, who also made the news in 2018 when he married a fellow adult performer whom he met on set, has been outspoken about his porn past. As Pink News reported, he told Times Higher Education in 2018 that he left a successful career in adult because he wanted to grow.

“And since I couldn’t grow any more in the porn industry I decided that it was time to do something completely new,” he explained. “The truth is that I became too rich and famous to stay interested in that job.

“From the porn industry, I have learned the importance of self-promotion,” Freddi added. “You have to let the world know what an amazing person you are because nobody will come looking to find out for themselves.”

Award-winning Italian performer Valentina Nappi told XBIZ, “The case of Ruggero Freddi highlights the inherent limits of the ‘liberal’ idea that constructive, fruitful coexistence is possible between rational viewpoints and those that instead leave room for irrationality. This is but an illusion. If we want a world in which expressions of rationality — such as being able to teach calculus after a career in porn — are free, every position of power must be vacated by those who, even if only out of social pressure and/or opportunism, are followers of the Catholic faith or other religious creeds.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Cousin Stevie Passes Away at 82

Producer, director and reality TV personality Cousin Stevie has passed away at the age of 82.

Blake Lovely Leads New Scene From Grooby

Blake Lovely stars with Chris Epic in the latest release from Grooby Girls, titled “Banging Blake.”

Octavia Red Fronts Latest From Brazzers

Octavia Red stars with 2024 XMA Europas Male Performer of the Year Christian Clay in the latest Brazzers scene, “An Affair with My Piano Teacher.”

VPN Usage Surges in France After Aylo Restricts Access to Pornhub

France has experienced a surge in virtual private network (VPN) signups after Aylo, which operates Pornhub, Redtube and YouPorn, cut off access to those sites in the country in the wake of new age verification regulations, business news site MENAFN is reporting.

Leilani Li Stars in Latest 'TS Virtual Lovers' From Adult Time

Leilani Li stars in the latest episode of Adult Time series “TS Virtual Lovers.”

Scarlett Venom Performs 1st B/B/G for Reality Kings

Scarlett Venom performs her first B/B/G with James Angel and Ace Bigs in the latest Reality Kings scene, “Sharpening Her Skills.”

Evil Angel Launches 'Iconic Angels' Retrospectives With Spotlight on Annette Schwarz

Evil Angel has launched its new Iconic Angels retrospective series, kicking off with Annette Schwarz as its inaugural spotlight.

Charlie Valentine on Channeling Vintage Seduction

There’s a certain softness to Charlie Valentine’s voice — like velvet over steel. She’s warm and easy to talk to, but there’s no mistaking the strength in her words. A Vegas native with glossy black hair and classic Bettie Page bangs, she gives off a timeless kind of cool: the kind of woman who rescues senior pets, meditates before every shoot and genuinely wants to know the story behind your antique furniture.

Corey Silverstein to Host Webinar on 'SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling'

Where Does Age Verification Go From Here," to livestream July 10 at 4 p.m. (EDT).

Brazzers Debuts New Series 'MILF Quest'

Cherie DeVille stars in the first episode of new Brazzers limited series, “MILF Quest.”

Show More