The alleged kidnapper of model Chloe Ayling called her agent and warned him ‘ I am a medium level killer’ as he demanded a £230,000 ransom for her safe return, a court heard today.
Lukasz Herba made the chilling telephone call after keeping 20-year-old Ayling captive for six days, his trial in Milan was told.
Deputy Police Commissioner Serena Ferrari told the court Herba emailed the model’s agent Phil Green in London to demand he pay the six-figure sum for her release.
She said Herba told Green that he was working for an organisation called ‘Black Death’ and that he should find the money to secure her release.
Polish Lukasz Herba is accused of kidnapping British glamour model and offering to sell her on the ‘dark web’. He is pictured at court in Milan, Italy, today
Chloe Ayling (pictured) was allegedly kidnapped and held hostage in a remote house in Italy after being lured to the country for a fake photoshoot
A police officer told the court about a phone call Herba (pictured in court today) is alleged to have made to Chloe’s agent demanding a ransom of £230,000 for her release
Herba, originally from Poland, but living in Birmingham in the UK, arrived at the courthouse this morning in Milan in a dark blue Italian police coach
Chloe’s alleged kidnapper appeared at the court in Milan (pictured) for day one of his trial
Ferrari said:’ He said ‘I am a medium level killer’ and I am working for Black Death. Find the money.’
In a later email Herba told Green he had a deadline to find the money for Ayling’s safe return.
Outlining the prosecution cause against Herba, the police chief said the glamour model was to be sold over the internet with the virtual currency Bitcoin to be used to make any payment.
Ferrari said:’ This is a very interesting case and very particular as the kidnapping was over the dark web.
‘The ransom was to be paid in Bitcoin. It is interesting because it is so different.’
Ferrari told the court police had emails and phone records that showed the intricate planning behind the kidnapping, as well as computer searches by Herba seeking to get false ID papers.
The court was told that Herba rented a remote farmhouse on the outskirts of Turin telling the owner he was an artist.
Chloe is not at the court in Milan where Herba faces trial for kidnapping her
Herba (left) arrived at court in Milan handcuffed and flanked by police officers as the court was told that Chloe (right) was kidnapped as part of a £250,000 ransom plot
He also purchased Italian sim cards for his mobile phone that were only switched on when he was in Milan.
Herba has claimed that Ayling was a willing participant in the kidnapping and it was all a publicity stunt to help boost her modelling career.
The defence claim has been rejected by the court and Ayling is not being called as a witness. Instead prosecutors will rely on her witness testimony.
Herba faces up to 25 years in jail if he is convicted of kidnap.
During almost an hour on the witness stand police chief Ferrari described the timeline of the kidnap plot.
She said Herba first used a false name to contact Green and book Ayling for a photo shoot in Paris in April.
Ferrari said that following a terrorist attack in the city he decided to scrap his plan Ayling returned to London.
Handcuffs that were seized by Italian police were among the evidence in the Ayling case
Chloe was allegedly held in this bedroom in a remote Italian farmhouse during her captivity
He later made contact with Green and booked Ayling to travel to Milan where he booked her a hotel room and paid in cash.
The police chief described how Herba contacted a Polish website to buy a false ID. The Polish consulate confirmed that the ID issued to Herba and his brother Michal were false.
He also purchased balaclavas and a large bag that would be used to conceal Ayling after she was drugged and thrown into the boot of a car.
Emails seized from Herba’s computer after his arrest showed that he was in contact with his brother Michal in planning the alleged kidnapping.
After the purchase of a large bag, he sent an email which said:’ You know we are going to use it.’
The court was told that the kidnapping was planned over several weeks and everything was in place when Ayling arrived in Milan on July 10th.
Ferrari said she telephoned her agent and visited the gym before the following day going to a pre-arranged meeting with Herba for a photo shoot.
After arriving at the photo studio she was allegedly drugged with Ketamin and driven to the rented farmhouse about two hours away from Milan.
Two days after Ayling arrived in Italian city her agent contacted police and the British consulate when he failed to hear from her.
He then received emails from Herba warning him he was a killer and demanding the ransom.
Green was sent several photographs of Ayling while she was held captive, Ferrari told the court.
She said police were able to find the remote farmhouse where Ayling was held for six days by using GPS from the Volvo car used in the kidnap.
At the farmhouse they found fingerprints from Herba and his brother.
Ferrari, the first of 50 witnesses at the trial, said emails between Herba and his brother showed that they had discussed how she should be treated.
In one email Michal said Herba should be kind to Ayling as she would be more compliant and cooperative.
Ferrarri ended her evidence by telling the court everything Ayling had told the court had turned out to be true.
The trial continues.