An Italian man who allegedly impersonated actor George Clooney to sell clothes online has been arrested along with his wife in Thailand, police said.
ADVERTISEMENTAn Italian man who allegedly impersonated actor George Clooney to sell clothes online has been arrested along with his wife in Thailand, police said.
Francesco Galdelli, 58, and Vanja Goffi, 45, who have been on an Interpol red notice for wanted people since 2013, were arrested Saturday at a house on the outskirts Pattaya after an operation between Thai and Italian authorities.
The couple had been dubbed Bonnie and Clyde after the infamous American criminal couple.
The Thai town where they were found is known as a hideout for gangsters and criminals from across the world.
"During interrogation, Francesco confessed to claiming to be George Clooney and opening a clothes business to trick people into sending money," Thailand's Crime Suppression Division (CSD) said in a statement.
They are also wanted in Italy for several scams, according to the statement, including selling fake Rolex watches online.
The case against the pair stretches back years, with Clooney testifying against them in 2010 in Milan, saying, along with another accomplice, they had fraudulently used his name to promote a fashion range.
"They stayed in Thailand since 2014 and never left," police said, adding a court will charge them under local immigration laws before extradition proceedings start.