Italian fugitive wanted for 11 years arrested after soccer celebration

A crime fugitive from Italy was able to evade authorities for the past 11 years until this weekend, when his celebration of the Napoli soccer club’s win blew his cover in Corfu, Greece. 

Carabinieri parliamentary police based in Naples, Italy, said 60-year-old Vincenzo La Porta was seen in a photo of fans in Corfu who celebrated the Napoli soccer squad’s recent win. La Porta was part of Italy’s list of their 100 most dangerous fugitives. 

Investigators said La Porta was in the photo holding a scarf in the colors of the Napoli soccer league. 

Once alerted to the photo, police tailed La Porta in Corfu and stopped him while he rode on a motorcycle. Greek police said he was arrested Friday afternoon.  

La Porta was convicted in absentia for criminal and organizational crimes and is considered to be close to a crime clan of the Camorra syndicate based in Naples, according to police. 

“Betraying him was his passion for soccer and for the Napoli team,’’ police said in a statement. “With the championship victory, La Porta couldn’t resist celebrating.”

Police said they followed the fugitive’s online activity, including his financial actions, and waited until he made a mistake. 

Police in Corfu said he appeared before a prosecutor Saturday and was ordered to be held in jail until a judge rules on Italy’s extradition request. 

“We will say he does not want to be extradited,” Athanassios Giannakouris, La Porta’s lawyer, told The Associated Press. “He was sentenced long ago for tax offenses. He has started a new family in Greece … He has a 9-year-old boy and is working as a cook to get by. He suffers from heart ailments. If he’s extradited, he and his family will be ruined,” Giannakouris added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.