Lapo Elkann was spotted living it up in Brazil with his model girlfriend on Thursday.
The controversial Fiat heir, who made headlines in 2016 when he faked his kidnapping during a two-day drug binge with a transgender escort in Manhattan, was seen hanging out with his girlfriend Cristina Saracino in Rio de Janeiro.
Several photos showed the pair hugged up as they visited Selarón’s Staircase, a colorful tiled stairway created by Chilean artist Jorge Selarón.
The happy couple held hands as they climbed to the top of the massive staircase.
Lapo Elkann was spotted living it up in Brazil with his model girlfriend, Cristina Saracino, on Thursday
The controversial Fiat heir, who made headlines in 2016 when he faked his kidnapping during a two-day drug binge with a transgender escort in Manhattan, was seen hanging out with his girlfriend Saracino in Rio de Janeiro
Elkann and Saracino have been spotted on numerous outings in the past few weeks, including a concert in which they hung out with Italian rapper Fedez and his partner Chiara Ferragni
Saracino donned a pair of black high-waisted jean shorts with a black crop top and a black snapback hat.
Elkann appeared to be wearing a black and white striped jersey with black shorts.
Once the couple made it to the top, they sat on one area of the steps and appeared to bow their heads in prayer.
Elkann and Saracino have been spotted on numerous outings in the past few weeks, including a concert in which they hung out with Italian rapper Fedez and his partner Chiara Ferragni.
Earlier this year the Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to prosecute Elkann after an exhaustive review determined that no crime had been committed during his 2016 drug binge that landed him in trouble with police.
Elkann appeared to be wearing a black and white striped jersey with black shorts. The couple were seen climbing to the top of the staircase
Saracino donned a pair of black high-waisted jean shorts with a black crop top and a black snapback hat
Once the couple made it to the top, they sat on one area of the steps and appeared to bow their heads in prayer
At the time, law enforcement officials reported that Elkann, who is worth a reported $800 million, spent the 2016 Thanksgiving holiday in a Manhattan housing project, where he was supplied with a steady stream of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol.
But when it came time for Elkann to settle up for the goods and services he had been provided during his two-day binge, the cash-strapped millionaire attempted to get his hands on $10,000 by allegedly calling up his family rep and claiming he had been kidnapped.
Page Six reported at the time that the family rep immediately called authorities and that Elkann later filed a police report, leading to the arrest of Curtis McKinstry, 30, on a charge of grand larceny by extortion.
Elkann met up with McKinstry on Thanksgiving night after reportedly contacting a number of escort services in the city.
The 40-year-old society fixture, who in 2009 was named to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame by Vanity Fair, headed with McKinstry to her government-subsidized apartment at the Strauss Houses on East 28th Street.
Elkann then proceeded to spend Thursday night, all day Friday and part of Saturday imbibing a mixture of booze, pot and blow according to law enforcement sources.
Earlier this year the Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to prosecute Elkann (above in 2016) after an exhaustive review determined that no crime had been committed during his 2016 drug binge that landed him in trouble with police
Then, on Saturday, Elkann allegedly called a representative for his family to inform them that he was being held against his will and needed $10,000 in ransom to be set free by his alleged kidnapper.
That story fell apart less than 24 hours later however according to law enforcement sources, who discovered that Elkann had placed the call to the family rep from his own cell phone.
Police also learned that Elkann had in fact been free to leave the apartment at any time.
Elkann went on a two-day drug binge while holed up at the apartment (above) of a transgender escort
The day before he departed for New York City, Elkann posted a video on his Instagram account discussing the business trip he was about to embark on, saying at one point: ‘I’ll be seeing many interesting characters in the creative field and in the entrepreneurial field in the next few days.’
After investigating the matter further however police dropped the charges against McKinstry, and instead charged Elkann with a misdemeanor for falsely reporting an incident.
That incident came 11 years after Elkann overdosed on a mixture of heroin and cocaine while in the company of a 53-year-old transsexual prostitute.
Elkann is one of two sons born to writer Alain Elkann and Countess Margherita Agnelli de Pahlen, whose father Gianni Agnelli was the head of Fiat.
Agnelli passed away in 2003 and left behind a fortune reported to be close to $2 billion. In the wake of his death, Elkann’s older brother John became chairman of the company.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office said in January of this year that it had declined to prosecute Elkann and had no further comment.
His attorney, Randy Zelin, said he presented information to prosecutors, who did an exhaustive review before determining no crime had been committed.
‘We are very fortunate the district attorney listened to us, and conducted a thorough investigation,’ Zelin said at the time.
Deja vu: The incident came 11 years after Elkann overdosed at the apartment of transsexual Italian prostitute Donato Broco, who was known as Patrizia (above)
Soon after the incident, Elkann made the decision to enter rehab.
‘This has been a difficult period for me, but it has also given me time to reflect quietly upon what happened and also about the future,’ said Elkann in a statement at the time.
He also said the decision to drop the charges reinforced ‘the faith I have always placed in American justice’.
Elkann (with Uma Thurman in May 2016) said in a 2006 interview that: ‘I am very pissed off with myself because I made a huge mistake, but nobody’s perfect’
Elkann – who was born in New York City, spent his youth and teenage years in London and at the age of 17 moved to Turin – secured a job in the family business back in 2003 when he was named Fiat’s Director of Marketing.
He was only in that position for two years however, stepping down after his 2005 overdose in the Turin apartment of transsexual prostitute Donato Broco, who was known as Patrizia in her professional life.
Elkann was just 28 at the time.
He had until that point been the face of Fiat since joining the automobile giant in 2003, and news of his overdose coupled with the company he was keeping at the time made headlines worldwide.
Patrizia was just one of three transsexual escorts that Elkann had been partying with that night before falling into a coma, with two other women named Cinzia and Tani also joining the group.
She would later reveal in an interview with Chi that the night of the overdose was the fifth evening she had spent with Elkann, who paid each of the women 1,000 euros according to one report.
Elkann spent two days in a coma, and checked himself in a rehab facility immediately after his release from the hospital.
He later said of the incident in a interview 2006 with Vanity Fair: ‘I am very pissed off with myself because I made a huge mistake, but nobody’s perfect.’