Italian mob boss Vincenzo La Porta was arrested in Greece over the weekend after police spotted him in a photo celebrating Napoli’s win in the Serie A professional soccer championship several weeks ago.
La Porta has been on the run for 11 years and linked to a dangerous organized crime group known as the Camorra.
As reported by Sky News, La Porta was snapped in Corfu Island in Greece celebrating on a balcony after his hometown team won a soccer championship. After investigators spotted him they headed to the Greek island to tail the 60-year-old fugitive.
Officers managed to take him into custody after blocking him going down a street on his motor scooter, Sky News reported.
He was captured near the restaurant where he had reportedly been working as a chef. His lawyer said he has started a new family in Greece and does not want to be extradited.
“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.”
La Porta was wanted on convictions of criminal association, tax evasion and fraud. Appearing before a prosecutor on Saturday, he was ordered to be held in prison until a panel of appeal court judges rules on an extradition request from Italy.
Italian authorities want him to be flown back so he can serve a 14-year prison sentence, but his lawyer told Sky News LaPorta does not want to be extradited so he can stay in Greece with his new family.
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“He was sentenced long ago for tax offenses,” Athanassios Giannakouris said.
“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,” he told Sky News.
Police in Italy had reportedly been monitoring La Porta’s activity for months, waiting for him to make a false move that would give them insight into his whereabouts.
Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
