Hungarian implicated in mafia attempt to buy Lazio

A Hungarian citizen is suspected of having been involved in relation to a criminal case in which an Italian mafia clan attempted to buy soccer club SS Lazio.

Italian police have arrested seven of the ten suspects, but Hungarian citizen Zoltan Szilvas, former Lazio player and president Gianluca Chinaglia and a third person are still fugitives.

The plan by the Casalesi clan of the Camorra, a Naples-based mafia clan, was to sponsor the team in an alleged bid to launder millions of euros. After their failure, they are suspected of having tried to buy shares in the club for 24 million euros with the involvement of Chinaglia two years ago.

Chinaglia was charged with market-rigging linked to his bid and has since been a fugitive in the United States.

According to press reports, he was intending to purchase the club with some Hungarian financing.

Lazio finished in 12th place in the last season of Serie A.

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