In July 2017, 20‑year‑old British model and Page 3 star Chloe Ayling traveled to Milan believing she had been booked for a high‑end photoshoot by “Andre Lazio.” Instead, she was ambushed by two men. Ayling says she was injected with ketamine, forced into a suitcase, and driven roughly 120 miles by car to a remote farmhouse near Turin.
Hostage Ordeal and Captor Dynamics
Held for six harrowing days, Ayling was cuffed to a wooden chest in the farmhouse bedroom. She later revealed that she “accepted that she was going to die”—until she noticed that one captor, Łukasz Herba, seemed to grow emotionally attached to her. Seizing that opportunity, she managed to persuade him of a fictional romantic connection, prompting him to soften. On Day 6, he drove her back to the British consulate in Milan and released her into safety.
Legal Action and Convictions
Italian authorities quickly arrested Łukasz Herba and later his brother Michał. In June 2018, Łukasz was convicted of kidnapping and extortion and sentenced to 16 years and 9 months. Michał was convicted in 2019 and originally sentenced to 16 years and 8 months. Subsequent appeals reduced Łukasz’s term to 12 years and 1 month, and Michał’s to about 5 years and 8 months.
Public Skepticism and Media Scrutiny
Despite her clear trauma, skepticism surrounded Ayling’s story. CCTV footage showed her calmly holding Herba’s hand while shopping and going along with instructions—behavior some interpreted as proof of a staged stunt. Critics suggested she orchestrated the kidnapping to boost her career. Ayling maintains she stayed calm as a survival strategy, not out of complicity, and has repeatedly called out the boundaryless judgment she continues to receive.
Reimagining the Story: Documentary and Drama
The kidnapping saga has since been dramatized in two notable productions. The six‑episode BBC Three series Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story premiered in August 2024, telling the incident through scripted drama featuring Nadia Parkes as Ayling. The production had Ayling’s full cooperation and consent. In August 2025, BBC Three debuted the documentary Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping, where Ayling revisits her ordeal, trauma, and the ongoing backlash. She also disclosed her autism diagnosis, explaining how it affected her communication and perception of her own emotional response during captivity.
Survival Strategy and Legacy
Throughout captivity, Ayling says she “always remained calm,” believing that any panic would worsen her situation. She credits her composure with gaining leverage over her captor and ultimately saving her life. The documentary offers detailed insight into her mindset, emphasizing that victim expressions don’t always align with stereotypical responses—and that calmness may be a rational, life‑preserving tactic.
Broader Implications
The Chloe Ayling case underscores the challenges faced by survivors whose demeanor doesn’t fit public expectations. It highlights how survivors can be unfairly judged when their emotional responses—or lack thereof—don’t match popular narratives. The case also brought attention to the concept of human trafficking via the dark web, often linked to groups like the so‑called “Black Death Group,” albeit with limited verifiable operations.
Conclusion
Chloe Ayling’s kidnapping story is both terrifying and remarkable. She endured a violent abduction under fraudulent pretenses, held in captivity while threatened with sale to dark web buyers. Her ability to remain level‑headed—and even persuade her captor to release her—demonstrates incredible resilience. Ayling’s continued confrontation of public doubt further reveals the persistent stigma surrounding victim behavior. As her story is retold through drama and documentary, it serves as a vital lesson: victims’ coping strategies should not be misconstrued as consent or deception
