Model Chloe Ayling Held Captive and Threatened with Online Auction, Ultimately Freed by Her Abductors
Chloe Ayling, a 20-year-old British model at the time, found herself at the centre of a harrowing ordeal in 2017 when she was kidnapped in Milan, Italy. Ayling was drugged and held captive for six days by Łukasz Herba, who intended to sell her as a sex slave.
After her release, Ayling was subjected to intense public disbelief and harsh media scrutiny. Her behaviour did not fit typical emotional responses to trauma, which led to misunderstandings and media skepticism. In a 2025 documentary, Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping, Ayling revealed that she was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which affected her communication skills and emotional expression.
Ayling clarified that her autism played a significant role in the way she responded, making it difficult for neurotypical people to understand her reactions. However, she also stressed that trauma responses such as dissociation and delayed emotional reactions are common and that not all unusual behaviours should be solely attributed to her diagnosis.
It is important to note that her autism diagnosis did not cause the kidnapping incident. Her captor, Łukasz Herba, was convicted of the crime, and his brother, Michael Herba, was charged and convicted in 2019.
Despite her release, Ayling faced continued scrutiny, particularly when she appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, which fuelled further backlash against her. Ayling expressed her disappointment about Michael Herba's release in 2020.
In 2024, a six-part series was released by the BBC, recounting Ayling's kidnapping and the media backlash that followed. Ayling stated that the series should serve as a lesson not to judge victims based on their reactions. She believes that her autism diagnosis contributed to people not believing her story.
During the kidnapping, an email was received demanding a $300,000 ransom for Ayling, threatening to sell her on the dark web. However, Ayling was released unharmed and showed up at the British Consulate in Milan. It was later revealed that the Italian photographer Ayling was supposed to meet, Andre Lazio, did not exist. He was actually Łukasz Herba.
Herba falsely claimed to be part of a Romanian criminal gang known as The Black Death. He was sentenced to 12 years and 1 month in prison, but his sentence was reduced to 16 years and eight months in 2020. Michael Herba has since been released from prison.
This case serves as a reminder that it is crucial to approach victims of trauma with empathy and understanding, rather than judgement. Ayling's story highlights the importance of understanding different communication styles and emotional responses, especially in the context of trauma.
