Kriti Mehrotra
Directed by Nicola Prosatore, Netflix’s ‘Start Up, Fall Down: From Billionaire to Convict’ is a documentary series that delves deep into the dark side of entrepreneur Alberto Genovese. It actually incorporates archival footage, dramatic recreations, and exclusive interviews to really underscore not only his lifestyle but also his alleged sexual assaults on young women. Therefore, of course, there is a significant mention of two of his reported closest confidants, too, his then-girlfriend Sarah Borruso, as well as his friend or right-hand man Daniele Leali.
Sarah Borruso Has Been Convicted of Aiding an Attempted Sexual Assault
Alberto Genovese first came across Sarah Borruso by pure chance around 2018. They just realized they shared an innate spark and soon decided to start dating officially. They honestly seemed like an idyllic couple to the outside world, owing to the way they presented themselves — often going out on extravagant dates or simply enjoying traveling together. However, the reality was much different, which only came to light in 2020 after he was accused of sexual assault by at least seven women, with one even naming his girlfriend as an accomplice.
According to the alleged victim, when Alberto chose to go on a luxury vacation to Ibiza in 2020 alongside Sarah and a few of his friends, he also invited her as well as one of her close friends. Little did the young woman know, per her own accusations, that after a few days of drug-fueled parties, the billionaire entrepreneur and his girlfriend would force her to engage in group sex. In the end, both individuals were charged with attempted sexual assault in connection with this matter, and it was during the investigations that officials found a personal diary in his home. The diary belonged to Sarah, detailing everything from her and Alberto’s drug addiction to how she had left him before returning when he said he “needed her” to her being tired of his infidelity.
“At every party we go to, every two days, you look for a different girl to take to bed,” she had penned, but they reportedly only broke up after the accusations against him came to light. Ultimately, in 2022, Sarah was convicted for her hand in the 2020 offense, for which she was handed down 2 years and 5 months in prison, only for it to be later reduced to just around one year. “For too long, I’ve been associated with Alberto,” she said in court. “I’ve lived in the shadow of a man, and what I often feel is that people don’t understand the fact that I have a name and a personality distinct from him.” Since then, having undergone rehab, she has managed to get her sentence commuted to a year of community service, so she is currently working for the Municipality of Rome.
Related
Although Daniele Leali Had Tried to Maintain Innocence, He is Also a Convict Today
While it’s unclear precisely when Daniele Leali and Alberto Genovese first met, they had managed to develop a deep friendship by the time the 2020s rolled around. In fact, according to records, the entrepreneur considered him his right-hand man in all matters after hours, especially since he was a professional DJ and entertainer. However, it has been alleged that he also did much more for the billionaire during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring all his private parties had exactly the kind of young women he wanted. According to the show, Alberto reportedly had a preference for his guest list not only being mostly female, but also young and drug-engaged, so Daniele invited such women while providing the drugs too.
However, when accusations of sexual assault against Alberto came to light, Daniele asserted that while he worked with the businessman around this time, he had no involvement in anything criminal. After all, he indicated, he had moved away from Italy for good and settled down in Bali, Indonesia, where he was thriving as an entrepreneur alongside his partner, Ilaria. He was affiliated with the property management company Bali Luxury Management, as well as restaurants such as Milano Italian and Aplaya, and the nightclub Tropicana Boracay.
Nevertheless, everything changed in 2023 as Daniele was arrested in connection with one of the sexual assault cases while visiting Milan, Italy, for which he later attended several court proceedings. In the end, around the summer of 2024, he was convicted of one count each of obstruction of justice and drug dealing, for which he was ultimately sentenced to 5 years in prison. Therefore, today, he is reportedly incarcerated in a correctional facility in his homeland, where he is expected to remain until at least 2028.
