Overview
- He was arrested in Caorle on August 24 after a hotel check-in alert matched his name to a wanted offender, and carabinieri detained him during breakfast.
- Authorities confused him with another Romanian convicted of aggravated theft and subject to a two-year sentence.
- He spent nearly a month in Pordenone prison and was released on September 18 once his lawyer produced documents proving mistaken identity.
- Attorney Stefano De Rosa said police, carabinieri, court and prison databases were not connected, requiring separate requests and citing a 2014 trial with a 2020 final judgment for the other man.
- After his release he reunited with his wife and daughters, stayed a few days in Italy to resume the trip, and said he felt no resentment but wants to prevent similar errors.