The former girlfriend is on site in Solna District Court during the ongoing trial against Macchiarini.
He is charged with three counts of aggravated assault as a result of the alleged transplants of synthetic trachea that were performed at Karolinska Hospital between 2011-2013.
Alexander and Macchiarini's relationship attracted a lot of attention already in 2016 in a report in the magazine Vainty Fair.
She then told, among other things, how they planned the wedding and how Macchiarini promised her that the pope would perform the wedding.
Wedding invitations went out to dignitaries such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, the then American presidential couple Barack and Michelle Obama, artist Elton John and actor Russell Crowe, to name a few.
A big lie
But it would turn out that everything was a lie and the wedding was canceled.
In addition, Macchiarini already had a wife and a family he did not tell about.
- If he lied to me in this way, there is no chance that he did not lie in his professional life, says Benita Alexander.
She is happy that Macchiarini is now on trial and tells SVT Nyheter that she will stay in Stockholm until the verdict falls.
She describes the lies as degrading but at the same time says that she has received a lot of support over the years.
- So many women have thanked me and said that it made them feel less lonely and less stupid.
Paolo Macchiarini denies crime and any intent other than saving lives.
He claims that Karolinska's management participated in the decision-making process and had full knowledge of the method used.
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Macchiarini performed transplants of artificial trachea on eight patients, seven of whom died.
Photo: SVT Archive