Having been on the run from the police since 1993, one of Italy’s most wanted men of all time has finally been arrested.
Matteo Messina Denaro has been a wanted man since a spate of bombings in the 90s associated to his Cosa Nostra mafia saw ten people killed and nearly 100 more injured.
Denaro was known as the ‘godfather’ of the Cosa Nostra mafia, meaning that he was the mind behind numerous major crimes such as drug dealing, murder and robbery.
The police thought they had found their man in 2021, but they made a monumental error by arresting an innocent Formula 1 fan instead of the mafia boss, as the man in question bore a slight resemblance to Denaro.
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A Formula 1 fan was making the long and dedicated journey to Vandvoort from Liverpool for last year’s Dutch Grand Prix but unfortunately never made it to the racetrack, as he was arrested by Dutch police en route.
While dining in a restaurant in The Hague, the fan was blindfolded and taken to a high-security prison in the Netherlands, having supposedly been recognised as Matteo Denaro while eating his dinner.
Europol, a Europe-wide law enforcement agency who are known for hunting down some of the world’s most wanted criminals, is based in The Hague, hence the quick response to the sighting.
An investigation then took place at the prison with the F1 pleading his innocence and after looking into his alibi, the investigation agency was embarrassed to find out that the man was not an Italian mobster, but was instead a fan of motorsport on his way to a Grand Prix.
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The F1 fan was quicky released from the prison and sent on his way, leaving him with an unbelievable story to tell his friends upon his return to Liverpool.
The real Denaro was arrested earlier this week, after the authorities were finally able to identify and arrested the 90s mafia boss.
It is unknown if the fan ever made it to Zandvoort in time, where the Orange army were treated to a Max Verstappen masterclass at the circuit’s first F1 race since 1985.