Federico Fiuzzi, aged 28–29, died in February 2011 in Maribor, Slovenia, during an ibogaine initiation ceremony associated with the religious community Sakrament prehoda. Contemporary news reports described suspected ibogaine toxicity and reported that police filed criminal complaints against two individuals. In written correspondence with Ibogaine Club in October 2026, the District Court in Maribor clarified that a prosecutor’s request for a judicial investigation, filed on October 4, 2013, was later withdrawn following the death of the person concerned. The court stated that criminal proceedings were never initiated. This correspondence clarifies the procedural history but does not establish the medical cause of Fiuzzi’s death or anyone’s criminal responsibility.
Fiuzzi’s death occurred during a religious initiation ceremony rather than in a conventional medical treatment setting. Contemporary reporting by Slovenske novice and Dnevnik linked the ceremony to Sakrament prehoda and described the use of ibogaine hydrochloride. Slovenske novice reported that an autopsy indicated an excessive concentration of ibogaine; the underlying autopsy report has not been independently reviewed by Ibogaine Club.
In July 2011, the newspapers reported that police had filed criminal complaints against two members of the community. A 2013 academic paper by Gregor Lesjak described the matter as unresolved at the time of publication.
To clarify what happened subsequently, Ibogaine Club contacted the District Court in Maribor. In an October 2026 written response, Tomaž Grmovšek, Head of the Investigative Department, stated that the prosecutor had requested a judicial investigation on October 4, 2013. That request was later withdrawn following the death of the person against whom it had been filed. The court stated that criminal proceedings were never initiated and that the documents were returned to the prosecutor’s office.
The correspondence does not identify the deceased person concerned by the investigation request. It should not be interpreted as an acquittal, a conviction, or a determination of ibogaine’s causal role in Fiuzzi’s death.
Investigation & Causality
Substance Reported
Ibogaine
Exposure Context
Retreat ceremony
Ibogaine Causality
Alleged
Investigation Outcome
According to October 2026 correspondence from the District Court in Maribor, the prosecutor’s October 4, 2013 request for a judicial investigation was later withdrawn following the death of the person concerned. Criminal proceedings were never initiated, and the documents were returned to the prosecutor’s office.
Case Details
Location
Maribor, Slovenia
Cause of Death (as first reported)
Suspected ibogaine toxicity
Sources
News reportJul 26, 2011
Italijan umrl na rokah slovenskih mazačevSlovenske novice
“Federico Fiuzzi, a 28-year-old Italian national, died during an ibogaine initiation ceremony associated with the religious community Sakrament prehoda in Maribor, Slovenia, in February 2011. The newspaper reported that an autopsy suggested an excessive concentration of ibogaine. Police subsequently filed criminal complaints against two individuals.”
News reportJul 26, 2011
Usodni halucinogeni krstDnevnik
“A 29-year-old Italian man died following an ibogaine initiation ceremony in Maribor. Police filed criminal complaints against the 51-year-old leader and a 34-year-old priest of Sakrament prehoda. The report also describes the community's use of ibogaine hydrochloride during initiation rituals.”
Academic paperApr 3, 2013
(Sodno) izvedenstvo, religija in droge: primer Sakramenta PrehodaTeorija in praksa, Vol. 50, No. 3–4, pp. 549–566
“Gregor Lesjak documents the 2011 death of an Italian national during an ibogaine initiation in Maribor. The paper describes the circumstances as unresolved and confirms that police filed criminal complaints against two members of Sakrament prehoda. The court proceedings had not concluded at the time of writing (p. 563).”
Court recordApr 18, 2014
U-I-34/12 - Constitutional Court Decision Concerning Sakrament PrehodaConstitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia
“The Constitutional Court considered a petition by the religious community Sakrament Prehoda, represented by Marko Reza Resinovič, challenging regulations governing the use of Tabernanthe iboga. The petition was dismissed on procedural grounds. This decision does not address the death of Federico Fiuzzi or establish criminal liability.”
Court recordOct 30, 2026
Written correspondence from the District Court in MariborIbogaine Club (correspondence with District Court in Maribor)
“Tomaz Grmovsek, Head of the Investigative Department, confirmed in writing that the Maribor prosecutor requested a judicial investigation on October 4, 2013, which was later withdrawn following the death of the person against whom it had been filed. Criminal proceedings were never initiated.”