The ongoing investigation into an alleged prostitution ring in Milan has brought Italian football into focus, with reports that more than 60 current and former Serie A players have appeared in case material as clients, while authorities have confirmed that no footballers are under investigation. The investigation, led by the Guardia di Finanza, Italy’s financial police, focuses on an illegal Milan-based event-promotion company accused of organizing high-end gatherings that included access to escorts, drugs and nightlife services for wealthy clients.
Investigation details and arrests
According to several Italian media reports, including La Gazzetta dello Sport and referenced by coverage brandThe company operated in Milan and offered what it described as “all-inclusive luxury events” to high-profile individuals. Investigators have seized approximately €1.2 million (approximately Rs 13.2 crore) linked to the operation, and four individuals have been arrested after months of surveillance. The package included hotel stays, nightclub parties, escorts and the use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, which is illegal for recreational use in Italy. Events were reportedly held in both Milan and the Greek island of Mykonos. Under Italian law, prostitution itself is not a crime, but profiting from prostitution is illegal, which is why investigations focus on the organizers rather than those listed as clients.
Wiretap and evidence collected
The case was built in part through intercepted communications collected during the investigation. In a wiretapped conversation quoted in the reports, a man says: “I have a friend, a Formula 1 driver… who is coming to Milan tonight, he wants a girl.” In another exchange, a woman is heard telling a colleague that she may be pregnant after a date and asks him to retrieve chat records to confirm the date. Other intercepted conversations also referenced the use of laughing gas during these meetings. Authorities confirmed that devices seized matching those arrested are being analyzed by the public prosecutor’s office, with keyword searches forming part of the evidence review.
Names coming out in the investigation
A list of names linked to the investigation has been reported by Il Giornale and ANSA, with further details provided by Corriere dello Sport and. tuttosport. The report said the prosecutor’s inquiries have revealed the surnames of around 65 to 70 football players as keywords or references in communications, including players linked to clubs including Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, Atalanta, Lazio, Hellas Verona, Monza and Como.Among the names cited are:
- Alessandro Bastoni, Inter Milan defender
- Achraf Hakimi, former Inter Milan full-back
- Rafael Leao, AC Milan forward
- Oliver Giroud, French striker and AC Milan forward
- Dusan Vlahovic, Juventus striker
- Philippe Coutinho, former Liverpool midfielder
- Arthur Melo, Juventus midfielder
- Daniele Maldini, AC Milan midfielder and son of famous Italian defender Paolo Maldini
Additional surnames listed include Cancellieri, Huijsen, Mota Carvalho, Niasse, Petagna, Ranocchia, Ruggeri, Skriniar, Vicario and Zortia.Other names cited in full include Souliho Meite, Nuno Tavares and Carlos Augusto.Other mentions in the reports include Bellanova, Calafiori, Bisek, Pinamonti, Ricci and Scamacca, with links to clubs such as Atalanta, Lazio and Inter, while references to Juventus also emerge through names such as Vlahovic and Arthur Melo.Separate reporting also noted that one of Real Madrid’s recent signings was referenced among the extensive pool of names, although no specific individual has been formally identified in the cited material.Former Inter and Lazio midfielder Dejan Stankovic is also reported to have been in contact with one of the arrested men on eight occasions. Authorities also noted that those referred included a Formula 1 driver and hockey player, although the driver has not been named.
Players’ reactions and explanations
Some of the individuals named in the report have publicly distanced themselves from the case.AC Milan forward Rafael Leao said: “I want to make it clear that I have nothing to do with the facts being investigated. I am not involved in this and I have not committed any crime.”Separately, the lawyer representing Italy international defender Riccardo Calafiori said his client was not named in any official documents related to the investigation.
Nature and legal status of partnership
Italian authorities have made it clear that the named football players are not under investigation. The inclusion of names is based on mention of search keywords within phone calls, messages or seized material, and does not establish involvement in illegal activity. Prosecutors have not confirmed which individuals, if any, paid for sexual services. “The girls were completely obedient, so there was no violence; the acts of investigation have revealed no evidence of violence,” Guardia di Finanza said, adding, “Unfortunately this is not a crime, it is not classified as such.”
How the network operates
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the organization arranged evenings where women were invited to have sex in exchange for money with clients, many of whom were described as high-profile individuals, including professional footballers. The network reportedly retained at least 50 percent of the payments, with the remainder distributed to the women, who were paid by organizers rather than directly by clients. One woman involved in the operation said: “I kept 10% of the table for the footballer who spent three thousand, and the same with the hockey players.” Reports indicate that more than 100 women, including Italian and foreign nationals, were involved in these events, working as escorts, models, hostesses or table companions.
current state of affairs
The investigation is ongoing, with the Milan Prosecutor’s Office continuing to analyze the seized devices and communications. Although the case has attracted widespread attention due to the number of high-profile names mentioned, authorities have maintained a clear distinction between those under investigation, the organizers, and those referenced in the material, who do not currently face any legal action.
