Fagioli’s €2m betting debts at centre of alleged blackmail plot

Four other suspects face related allegations in the case, according to La Repubblica.

The hit

Italian singer Ludovico Franchitti, known as Ludwig, is under investigation over an alleged blackmail plot against Nicolò Fagioli, the former Juventus midfielder, according to La Repubblica. Prosecutors suspect he helped extort money from Fagioli by threatening to expose his illegal gambling.

Why it matters

Fagioli, now at Fiorentina, is cast as the alleged victim this time, a reversal from the 2023 scandal that got him banned from football for seven months. Investigators are examining whether messages about screenshots of in-match bets were used as threats. Four others face related allegations, including extortion & self-laundering.

The record

Alleged extortion sum	€40,000 allegedly extorted from Fagioli (La Repubblica)
Fagioli’s illegal gambling debts (current probe)	over €2 million (prosecutors)
Search warrant executed	28 October, Franchitti’s phones seized (La Repubblica)
Fagioli’s total debts reported in 2023	€3 million, Fagioli reportedly told the Turin Prosecutor’s Office

What happens next

Investigators are examining electronic messages, bank records & financial transactions to establish how the disputed sum moved. All five suspects remain under investigation, with no findings of guilt made against them.

Sources: Italian Singer Suspected of Blackmailing Soccer Star Fagioli Over Gambling Debts

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