Italian fugitive’s love of soccer gets him caught in Greece
By Chris Liakos and Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN
(CNN) — A dangerous fugitive linked the Camorra, a violent Italian criminal organization, has been arrested in Greece after authorities used his love of the Napoli soccer team to catch him.
Vincenzo La Porta, 60, was captured on the island of Corfu Friday as he was riding a moped. He was considered one of Italy’s 100 most dangers fugitives before his arrest.
La Porta had been on the run for 11 years after being sentence in absentia to 14 years in jail for leading the crime group’s money laundering and tax evasion arm in Naples.
Italian police said they have been working with their Greek counterparts to tail the fugitive in Greece for several months, tracking financial movements tied to his close associates and social media posts of Napoli soccer fans in Corfu, in which he apparently featured frequently.
La Porta seems to have sealed his fate when he was photographed in May celebrating Napoli’s win in the top Italian soccer league on the balcony of a restaurant in Corfu wearing a baseball cap and holding a blue Napoli scarf. Police had been watching fans in case he was there.
The win was a huge moment for Napoli, the first time in more than two decades – since the days of Diego Maradona – the team has won Serie A title.
La Porta had been living under a false name, had a family and ran a local business, according to the Italian police.
The-CNN-Wire
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