A 47-year-old man has been arrested by
Carabinieri police for allegedly extorting thousands of euros
out of late sports writer Gianni Mura.
The suspect, named as Francesco Gaspari, allegedly threatened to
kill Mura and his wife and allegedly extorted at least 61,500
euros out of him between October 2018 and his death of a heart
attack in March this year.
An investigation was launched after the death of Mura, who was
one of Italy's top sports journalists, after his wife reportedly
the allegedly extortion, having learn of it from someone who
worked with her husband.
Mura is said to have met Gaspari 10 years ago after the latter
said he was a fan of the former's work.
They initially formed a friendship and Mura is thought to have
helped Gaspari find a job and gave him small sums of money after
he said his father had been murdered and his mother was ill.
But the acquaintance soon became a nightmare for Mura, who
worked for daily newspaper La Repubblica.
"Nothing and no one will stop me," read a message Gaspari
allegedly sent Mura.
"Your wife and you will die. I no longer have anything to lose.
"I will come to Milan, to your house or the newspaper. I'll
stage a massacre.
"Give me the money and I will disappear".
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