Chloe Ayling’s former agent is speaking out about ‘horror’ kidnapping after seven years of false claims

The former agent of kidnapped model Chloe Ayling has spoken out about her ‘horror’ kidnapping and how she was hunted by people who didn’t believe her shocking story.

The former star was working for Phil Green’s ‘Supermodel Agency’ in 2017 when what was supposed to be a routine booking turned sinister, leading to the then 20-year-old being drugged, bundled into a suitcase and held captive.

She was lured to Milan, Italy, under the pretext of a ‘motorcycle shoot’, but upon her arrival she was injected with ketamine and kidnapped, while her agent began receiving emails demanding ransoms.

Green, 57, has now revealed how he believes her kidnappers – who called themselves the ‘Black Death Group’ as they demanded £270,000 – had previously tried to kidnap the blonde before their plot was foiled.

Ayling’s ordeal has since been dramatized in the series by the BBC Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Storywhich delves into her terrifying experience, as well as the subsequent media storm that followed her safe return.

Watch the trailer here:

British actor Adrian Edmondson, 67, played Green in the chilling drama, which revisits the model’s kidnapping seven years ago and the desperate attempts to rescue her.

Now Green has spoken out about how he was first approached in March 2017 by a photographer claiming his name was Andre Lazio, before they managed to nab his client four months later.

He explained that the man who contacted him “specifically asked for Chloe” to attend a shoot in Paris, France, according to the Mirror, but everything seemed to go above and beyond when he made “all the necessary checks.” carried out to him.

The agent and lawyer said: “I did due diligence, asked questions about the job, looked at his website, asked where and when the filming would take place, got the studio address and looked at examples of previous work.

“But you can’t possibly predict something like that. All the boxes were checked.”

Chloe Ayling was kidnapped in 2017 after being lured to a fake modeling job (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Green said he looked up the chap’s so-called studio, called ‘Bellissmafique’, online and Ayling was ‘happy to take the job’, so the photographer paid £900 up front for the shoot.

But when she arrived in the city of love for the performance, the plan went wrong.

“I turned on the television and saw that there had been a terrorist attack in Paris, and a police officer had been murdered,” Green recalls. “I was shocked, I immediately called Chloe. She said she heard sirens outside and I told her to stay in the hotel.”

The snapper, who had organized the biker shoot for the next day, then got in touch to say his studio had been ransacked and it was canceled, before later turning up at Ayling’s hotel to give her £90 towards her expenses.

That was that – but in early July 2017 ‘Lazio’ contacted Green again to reschedule the modeling job – even going so far as to discuss the Brit’s measurements ‘so he could get leather for her’.

“We discussed all the details again and he paid,” Ayling’s former agent continued.

“He sent pictures of his new studio with the same sign ‘Bellissmafique’.”

Take two

She landed in Milan on July 10, checked into Hotel Galles and went out for dinner ahead of the photo shoot that was scheduled to take place at 8:30 the next morning.

Green explained how on the evening of July 11 he received a panicked phone call from Ayling’s mother, who was ‘concerned that Chloe had not made contact’ – so he tried to contact ‘Lazio’ but got no response.

“I checked with the airline and she had not boarded the flight,” he said. “Chloe had a photo shoot in Ibiza on July 13 and I thought she might have gone there straight away. I tried to call her but her phone kept ringing with a foreign ringtone.”

Ayling’s then agent claims he then told her mother to contact police on July 12, before receiving a chilling email from the ‘Black Death Group’ explaining they had kidnapped the model.

“Unless you pay us money before Sunday, she will be auctioned off where she may be sold to the Russian mafia,” it said.

Green said he was ‘petrified’ and ‘completely shocked’ after receiving the correspondence, but immediately contacted authorities in Italy and the British Consulate in Milan to raise the alarm.

Her former agent Phil Green has revealed how he desperately tried to save her (ITV)

Police had also begun an investigation after Ayling’s mother made contact and a co-ordinated operation ensued, with East Midlands police subsequently arriving at Green’s home to take over communications with the kidnappers.

“They used my email to contact them, the police were at the house to siphon the emails and respond to their demands,” Green explained. “It was a slow process, there could be hours and hours between messages from Italy.

“They checked everything, they gave me updates, but they kept the full details to themselves. Most of the week there were very senior officers in my house, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they are specially trained in negotiation.

“They were very calm, very professional.”

An email was then sent with images of Ayling stuffed into a suitcase, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom of £270,000 for her freedom – but police could only offer £20,000.

Green said of the “terrible” wait for news he faced: “I didn’t know what I could do to help. It took days, but on Sunday they confirmed they were pulling out because there were developments in Italy. They told me Chloe was safe. They didn’t tell me all the horrible details, but it was such a relief.”

‘She made bad decisions’

Ayling stayed in Italy to inform police of her ordeal, while Green later booked her a flight back to Britain – but when she got home the officer said she stepped back and signed with a London publicist.

Revealing what he thought of her next steps, the lawyer said: ‘It was disappointing when that happened after everything I had done for her during her modeling career, but what can you do?

“But the way she behaved after she was released made it seem like she was enjoying all the attention. All the press and TV interviews, which went on and on Famous big brother.

“In my opinion, she made some bad decisions; people thought it was just about the money.”

However, he is convinced that the kidnapping saga was not staged, and he cannot believe that some people think it is.

“Chloe has said she hopes the show will stop people questioning her,” Green continued.

The model’s ordeal has been dramatized by the BBC (BBC)

“Chloe is accused of faking the kidnapping and using it as a publicity stunt,” he said. “I don’t think that will ever change, online conspiracy theories will never die.

“I was there when it happened and it was terrifying for me. It beggars belief that it was staged.”

Ultimately, Lukasz Herba and his brother Michal Herba were arrested and tried for the crime.

Lukasz was sentenced to 16 years and nine months in prison – later reduced to 12 years and one month – while his sibling received 16 years and eight months for holding the model captive in a farm in Turin for six days.

Herba’s sentence was also reduced on appeal to five years and eight months.

While discussing what he believed were their motivations, Green explained that he thinks social media had a big role to play.

He added: “Models put everything out there. I have no doubt that the attacker was a follower on Instagram. They saw how many followers she had and in their minds they thought they could raise a higher ransom.

“I think it’s a bit dangerous, you don’t know who is watching you and controlling you.”