An Italian fraudster has been imprisoned for constructing a counterfeit Roman amphitheatre and charging visitors £35. Franco Malosso ‘von Rosenfranz’ falsely claimed that the site near Vicenza was the world’s oldest open-air amphitheatre, featuring ruins dating back to before 393 AD, including columns, stone steps, and statues.
However, an investigation revealed that the alleged ancient artifacts were actually crafted in the early 2000s using materials like fibreglass and papier-mâché to create an aged appearance, with Malosso even fabricating a lake at the site. Despite the deception, the conman, aged 69, spun elaborate tales to tourists about historical figures like Julius Caesar and Juliet Capulet frequenting his amphitheatre.
Malosso, self-proclaimed as a “philanthropist, entrepreneur, and orchestra conductor,” managed to deceive not only tourists but also the local government, leading to inclusion in a tourism app supported by EU funding. He falsely claimed to have discovered the Berico Maritime Amphitheatre, with Neolithic, Greek, and Roman artifacts following a landslide in 2005.
The promotional material touted the amphitheatre as “the oldest and largest, among the most spectacular in the world.” However, the elaborate scam began to unravel in 2016 when police initiated an investigation, revealing that there were no ancient structures and that Malosso had artificially created the hill.
Despite mounting evidence against him, Malosso continued to concoct wild stories, including a blog post in 2017 alleging mafia involvement and multiple murders related to the amphitheatre. In a separate claim, he stated that the amphitheatre underwent restoration in the 19th century.
After a decade-long legal battle, Malosso was finally sentenced to two years and four months in prison, along with a €3,000 fine, for illegal construction, forgery of artworks, and unauthorized production of artifacts. Furthermore, he was instructed to clear the area of his fraudulent creation.
