Case overview
In July 2017, British model Chloe Ayling was abducted in Milan after arriving for what she believed was a legitimate photo shoot. She was held for six days before being released at the British consulate, leading to the arrest of two men and a trial that scrutinized every detail of her captivity.
The setup
Chloe Ayling, a 20-year-old model from South London, traveled to Milan on July 10, 2017, for a scheduled photo shoot arranged through her agent. The booking appeared routine. She had been provided with travel details, an address, and confirmation of payment. When she arrived at the studio address on Via Paolo di Cannobio the following morning, the door was unlocked. She walked in alone.
Two men were inside, according to her later testimony. One injected her with ketamine. She lost consciousness and woke hours later inside a canvas bag in the trunk of a car. Her hands were cuffed with a metal zip tie. She was driven to a remote farmhouse in Borgial, a small village near Turin, more than 80 miles from Milan.
The captivity
Ayling was held at the farmhouse for six days. She was kept in a bedroom, her wrist handcuffed to a wooden dresser. Her captor, who identified himself as MD, told her she had been kidnapped by a criminal organization called Black Death, according to her testimony. He claimed the group dealt in human trafficking and that she would be auctioned online unless a ransom was paid.
The ransom demand was set at $300,000. MD told her the group had mistakenly targeted her because they believed she was more prominent than she was. He said her life was in danger if the money was not paid, but that he would try to help her because she was a mother. Ayling had a young son in the UK.
During her captivity, MD showed her what he claimed were advertisements for other women being sold online. He also took her to a shoe store in the nearby town of Viù, where security footage later captured them shopping together. That outing became a focal point of the case.
The release
On July 17, MD drove Ayling to the British consulate in Milan and released her. She immediately reported the kidnapping to consulate staff, who contacted Italian police. She was interviewed and provided investigators with the address of the farmhouse, descriptions of her captors, and details about the car used in her abduction.
Italian authorities located the farmhouse and identified the vehicle. Forensic teams recovered fingerprints, DNA, and digital evidence. They also traced communications linked to the fake modeling booking and ransom demand.
The arrests
Polish national Lukasz Herba, 30, was arrested in the UK on July 18, one day after Ayling’s release. He was extradited to Italy to face charges of kidnapping for ransom. His brother, Michal Herba, was arrested later in the UK on suspicion of involvement in the abduction.
Prosecutors built their case around communications between the brothers, forensic evidence from the farmhouse and vehicle, and testimony from Ayling. The prosecution argued that Lukasz Herba had orchestrated the kidnapping as part of a scheme to extort money, fabricating the existence of Black Death to make the threat appear credible.
Lukasz Herba admitted to taking Ayling but claimed the kidnapping was staged. He said Ayling had agreed to participate in a fake abduction to raise her public profile and share in the ransom money. He provided no evidence to support the claim. Prosecutors rejected it, pointing to the forced drugging, physical restraint, and Ayling’s immediate cooperation with authorities.
The trial and sentencing
Lukasz Herba’s trial began in Italy in 2018. The court heard testimony from Ayling, investigators, and forensic experts. Evidence included communications between the Herba brothers, records of the fake modeling agency used to lure Ayling to Milan, and surveillance footage from the shoe store in Viù.
The defense argued inconsistencies in Ayling’s account, particularly the shopping trip and the fact that she was seen in public without attempting to escape or alert others. Prosecutors countered that she was under psychological control, frightened by threats against her and her son, and uncertain of who might be watching.
In June 2018, Lukasz Herba was convicted of kidnapping for ransom. He was sentenced to 16 years and nine months in prison. Michal Herba stood trial separately in the UK, where he was acquitted in 2019 after jurors found insufficient evidence linking him to the planning or execution of the kidnapping.
Public scrutiny
The case drew widespread media attention, much of it focused on Ayling’s behavior during and after her captivity. Speculation centered on the shopping trip and her decision to board a return flight to the UK two days after being released. Some questioned whether the abduction had been fabricated.
Italian authorities repeatedly stated that all evidence supported Ayling’s version of events. They noted that victims of trauma often behave in ways that may appear inconsistent to outside observers. No evidence emerged to suggest Ayling participated in staging her own kidnapping.
In 2021, Ayling participated in a BBC docuseries that revisited the case. She described ongoing harassment and disbelief from the public, as well as the toll the scrutiny took on her mental health. She stated that the shopping trip occurred because she feared for her life and believed complying with her captor was the safest option.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story” (BBC)
- Book: “Kidnapped” by Chloe Ayling
- Podcast: “Chloe Ayling” (“Casefile True Crime”, Casefile Presents)
