Mafia Boss Who Escaped Using Bed Sheets Like in a Movie Caught After 1 Year

Arrested on a French Overseas Island

Marco Laduano (40), the Italian mafia boss who escaped prison by weaving bed sheets like in a movie, was caught after a year.

The Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported that Laduano was arrested on the evening of the 1st (local time) on the French territory of Corsica. At the time of his arrest, he was dining with a young woman at a high-end restaurant. Laduano surrendered without resistance.

Marco Laduano escaping from prison. [Image source=Ansa News Twitter]

He escaped last February from a prison on the Italian island of Sardinia by making a rope out of bed sheets during the prison guard shift change. Laduano opened a door leading to the outer wall with a key he had prepared in advance, then lowered a long rope made by tying white bed sheets together and climbed down to escape. He was a model prisoner who served his time diligently and was granted the privilege to work in the prison library. While spending time in the library, he apparently observed the guards’ patrol schedule by looking out the window.

At the time, the prison guards’ union claimed the incident occurred due to staff shortages caused by budget cuts. Giovanni Villa, the union chairman at the time, said, "This prisoner escaped boldly from one of the safest prisons in Italy," and added, "This is due to a lack of staff." He stated, "About 50 staff members manage 180 prisoners," and "We have been pointing out the staff shortage. This was a major factor that compromised security."

Laduano is the boss of the mafia organization 'Sacra Corona Unita' in Foggia, Apulia, southeastern Italy. He was serving a 24-year sentence after being convicted in 2018 for joining a criminal organization, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of weapons. His organization is considered the 'fourth mafia' following Sicily’s Cosa Nostra, Calabria’s ’Ndrangheta, and Naples’ Camorra. Compared to other mafia groups, it is notoriously violent and known for its brutal methods.

Matteo Piantedosi, Italy’s Minister of the Interior, expressed gratitude to the French and Spanish authorities who cooperated in capturing Laduano.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.