Prostitution ring involving nearly 50 footballers uncovered in Italy

General view outside the San Siro Stadium before the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter Milan on March 8, 2026. Photo by Reuters

Italian police arrested four suspects, identifying Emanuele Buttini and Deborah Ronchi as the ringleaders. The group operated through Ma.De Milano, a company based in Cinisello Balsamo that masked itself as an event organizer, Marca reported.

The organization promoted its services through the Instagram account @made_luxury_concierge. This attracted wealthy athletes and businesspeople by offering all-inclusive packages worth thousands of dollars.

An evening typically started with dinner at high-end restaurants before moving to VIP areas at famous nightclubs in Milan. The nights concluded at five-star hotels like Hotel ME Milan Il Duca or private apartments arranged to ensure discretion.

Parties sometimes included up to 70 or 80 women at locations such as the Ceresio rooftop, the Pineta restaurant, and the area near the Tocqueville nightclub.

A notable element of these gatherings was the use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. This fast-acting euphoric substance is popular among athletes because it remains undetectable during doping tests, despite posing health risks.

Investigators obtained audio recordings of clients directly ordering the gas to their hotel rooms. The service is not exclusive to football, but also caters to other figures in sports and entertainment. An audio revealed a request to arrange prostitution for an F1 driver visiting Milan.

Behind the luxury, investigators uncovered a system of exploitation. They identified over 100 women lured into the network, including models, receptionists and prostitutes.

The ringleaders forced these women to share up to 50% of their earnings with the organization. The women also had to pay for the accommodation provided by the network.

Records detail several severe cases of abuse. One Colombian woman reported being forced into prostitution since 2022, or in late 2025, a woman messaged the organizers to inform them of her pregnancy after having sex with a football player.

The network even operated during the Covid-19 pandemic. Police had previously discovered an illegal party and prostitution operation tied to the group in Cinisello Balsamo during the 2021 lockdowns.

Authorities have seized over $1.2 million, which they believe to be the profits from the operation. Investigators suspect the actual number can be significantly higher.

Players from Italian top-flight clubs, including Inter, AC Milan and Juventus are said to have paid over €194,000 ($227,000) to the company via bank transfer, however, their names have been redacted from the warrant and they are not under criminal investigation, according to Metro.

The identities of the players and clients remain undisclosed as the investigation continues. However, the scandal is expected to cause a major shockwave in Italian football.