Naman Shrestha
BBC’s ‘Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story’ is based on true events experienced by Chloe Ayling, a British model who was abducted in Milan, Italy, in the summer of 2017. The six-part biographical drama series also explores the swift investigation after her kidnapping. As the young woman survives the abduction, the police realize that two brothers were involved — Łukasz and Michał Herba. The latter’s involvement is lesser, but he is also brought to justice.
Michał Herba Also Had a Hand in the Kidnapping of Chloe Ayling
When Łukasz Herba set up a fake modeling photoshoot for Chloe Ayling in Milan, Italy, on July 12, 2017, he was reportedly assisted by his brother, Michał Konrad Herba, to abduct the 20-year-old British model. The two brothers wore balaclavas to hide their identities and ambushed Chloe right before the scheduled meeting, drugging her and driving her down to an isolated farmhouse in the Piedmont region, several hours away from Milan. While Michał had no future contact with the hostage, his brother kept her captive for six days, during which he told her that the two were a part of the Black Death trafficking group and were tasked to traffic her.
She was told to arrange a ransom of €300,000 in exchange for her freedom and safety. When Łukasz started developing feelings for her, he decided to let her go. In fact, he even dropped her off at the British consulate in Milan on July 17. Not long after, Chloe told the authorities about the entire ordeal, following which Łukasz was arrested. Since his brother was also suspected of being involved, a European Arrest Warrant was also issued for Michał. She also told the police that Michał and Łukasz tried getting the ransom amount from her agent and family, but never received it.
About a month after Chloe’s kidnapping, Michał was arrested by the National Crime Agency in the Tividale area of Sandwell, England, in August 2017. His hair was discovered in the car’s trunk, serving as enough evidence to take him into custody. He was charged with the kidnapping of the British model and later extradited to Italy, where he was kept behind bars while awaiting trial, despite his claims of innocence. However, the accused denied any involvement in the case but later claimed that it was all an elaborate scheme devised to make Chloe richer and more famous.
Michał Herba’s Sentence Was Reduced Upon Appeal
During a High Court hearing in Italy, Michał Herba’s defense stated, “There is a body of evidence that suggests the allegation is a bad faith manufactured one and the kidnapping was in fact staged for the complainant’s benefit.” His attorneys also contested the European arrest warrant against him as they claimed that it did not have enough information about his involvement in the crime. However, the appeal was dismissed as the judges found the warrant plausible.
During Michał’s trial in the summer of 2019, the prosecution claimed that Chloe’s version of events was backed by evidence. They also presented a message that Łukasz sent Michał in the aftermath of the kidnapping, telling him to “clean the boot of the car so that her hair would not be found.” Ultimately, in June 2019, Michał Herba was found guilty of the charges against him and sentenced to a total of 16 years and eight months in prison. A couple of years later, in 2021, his lawyers appealed the sentence and got it reduced to five years and eight months.
Read More: Where is Chloe Ayling Now? Update on the Kidnapping Survivor
