The Milan prosecutor's office and Guardia di Finanza executed four arrest warrants, leading to the arrests. According to research from three sources, assets worth over 1.2 million euros were seized, suspected of being derived from prostitution and money laundering. The investigation was coordinated by Deputy Prosecutor Bruno Albertini and delegated to the Financial and Economic Police Unit, with preliminary investigation judge Chiara Valori signing four house arrest measures for organizers accused of inciting and exploiting prostitution and money laundering.
The owners, a 37-year-old man and his female partner, along with two suspected accomplices, have been arrested, according to a specific source. They were charged with exploitation, aiding and abetting prostitution, and money laundering. Emanuele Buttini and Deborah Ronchi are suspected of being the masterminds behind the group, and they are believed to have run the network, the source added. The owners and two employees of the events company have been placed under house arrest.
The network allegedly used an event promotion company as a front, with the organization based around a company in Cinisello Balsamo that recruited women, including escorts, to offer sexual services at events, according to research from three sources. According to the prosecution, the suspects focused on recruiting women for sexual services for a wealthy clientele. The prostitution network started in 2019, according to major media reports from two sources. The group allegedly took at least half of the money and gave the rest to the women, multiple reports indicate. Guardia di Finanza found suspects' income disproportionate to declared sources, indicating illegal business, research from three sources shows.
The clientele included high-profile individuals such as wealthy entrepreneurs and Serie A footballers, according to research from three sources. The network allegedly had about 50 Serie A players as clients, with clients including Serie A footballers from clubs like Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Juventus. Names of footballers have been redacted from the warrant and they are not under criminal investigation, multiple reports state. Research from three sources indicates the clients included 'a consistent number' of Serie A players.
Besides footballers, businessmen, celebrities, and other athletes are also alleged to have bought sex from the network. A Formula 1 driver allegedly used the agency, according to major media reports from two sources. The identity of this Formula 1 driver remains unknown, as does the specific names of the Serie A footballers who used the services.
Clients were offered a 'complete service' with dinner at a luxury restaurant in Milan, then nights at clubs or hotel rooms. The service was marketed via the Instagram account 'Made_luxury_concierge', followed by many Serie A players, multiple reports indicate. According to a specific source, the network sold package deals where the prostituted women spent entire evenings with sex buyers. The syndicate offered a full package including nightclub outings, hotel accommodation, and escort services for thousands of euros per night, research from three sources reveals.
In Italy, buying sex is not illegal, so players are not suspected of any crimes, but there will be moral discussions.
Meetings could take place at luxurious restaurants, clubs, and hotels. 26 restaurants or clubs in Milanese nightlife were indicated in the investigation into the luxury escort ring with Serie A footballers as clients, according to research from three sources. None of the premises are under investigation for exploitation of prostitution, the research adds. Suspects used these premises to book tables or organize dinners and provide female escorts on request, sources said. The privé of Pineta Milano club was managed by the Ma.De. agency of arrested Deborah Ronchi and Emanuele Buttini on weekends, and inside the privé, girls were available for sexual services reserved for wealthy customers, research indicates. The full list of venues used by the network beyond these 26 remains unknown.
The investigation details show that assets worth over 1.2 million euros were seized, suspected of being derived from prostitution and money laundering, as noted earlier. The investigation was coordinated by Deputy Prosecutor Bruno Albertini and delegated to the Financial and Economic Police Unit, with preliminary measures signed by judge Chiara Valori.
More than a hundred women, both Italian and foreign, may have been involved, according to multiple reports. The exact number of women involved in the prostitution network is unknown, with estimates ranging widely.
One of the suspects has several phone calls linked to Serie A players, multiple reports indicate. This evidence connects the suspects directly to football players, though specific names are withheld.
Clubs and the Italian football federation have not commented on the reports, according to multiple sources. According to SVT Sport, Jennifer Wegerup described that in Italy, buying sex is not illegal, so players are not suspected of any crimes, but there will be moral discussions. Whether any clubs or the Italian football federation will take disciplinary action against the players involved is unknown.
Key unknowns persist in the case. The identity of the Formula 1 driver allegedly involved has not been disclosed. The specific names of the Serie A footballers remain redacted, protecting them from criminal scrutiny but not from public speculation. The exact number of women involved is unclear, with estimates suggesting over a hundred but no confirmed figure. Potential disciplinary actions by clubs or the Italian football federation are yet to be determined, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the fallout. The full extent of venues used by the network beyond the 26 identified locations is also not fully known, indicating the network's possible broader reach within Milan's nightlife.