A British model was kidnapped and was allegedly set to be sold on the Dark Web before her captors changed their minds. Fortunately, she was able to get home alive and she spoke out regarding what she went through.
The 20-year-old glamor Model based in London, Cloe Ayling, sat down for an interview with the British newspaper The Sun, People magazine reported. According to Ayling, she was kidnapped during a fake modeling job that was supposed to be in Milan. Instead of going to the modeling gig, she was kept inside a small house where the group who kidnapped her discussed how she would be sold online to the highest bidder.
Model detained for four weeks
Ayling said that she just arrived at her home after six days of being with her kidnappers. She said that the Italian and United Kingdom authorities secured her “safe release.” Ayling said that she is not allowed to disclose more because she is yet to be debriefed by the UK police.
Italian police confirms model’s claims
The Italian police did say in a statement that a British model was kidnapped on July 11. She traveled to Italy for a photo shoot that was booked through her agent. She believed that she would stay in Milan as she was to do a shoot through a photo studio but instead it seems she was assaulted by two men and then drugged, NBC News reported. She was then taken to a home where she was detained.
According to an extensive report by The Daily Mail, authorities said that the victim was allegedly handcuffed to a chest of drawers for almost a week. Her kidnappers told her she was going to be auctioned off on the dark web if her agent failed to pay a ransom.
Ayling’s manager did not pay the ransom but the kidnappers decided to set the model free because they found out that she had a child.
Apparently, it was against the rules of the criminal organization to abduct mothers. They took her to the British consulate.
Suspect arrested
One of the suspects in the scheme was arrested when he took the model to the British consulate. The suspect was identified as 30-year-old Polish national Lukasz Herba. He reportedly organized other auctions to sell women.
He is allegedly part of the “Black Death Group,” which is an illegal human trafficking organization. Herba admitted to the crime the, BBC reported. The other suspect remains at large.
According to the Daily Mail, Herba has a girlfriend and told her that he was going away and would travel to the United States to conduct some business there. His girlfriend, identified only as Natalia, received messages from Herba that said he was going to meet clients in the U.S. for his chicken feed company. In truth, Herba was in Italy and apparently had a model kidnapped and held hostage.
Natalia said that Herba also told her he owned a land in Scotland and was part of the gold trade business. While he had the British model under his custody, Herba told Natalia he had a hectic schedule and could not talk to her much because he sleeps during his free time.
