Italian fraudster Franco Malosso jailed for fake Roman amphitheater

Franco Malosso, a 69‑year‑old Italian, constructed a faux Roman amphitheater on a hill near Arcugnano in the province of Vicenza. He marketed the site as an ancient structure dating to 393 AD, charging tourists €40 for guided tours and presenting fabricated artifacts and stories linking the venue to Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and Shakespeare’s Juliet.

Archaeologists examined the materials and found modern concrete, fiberglass, paper‑mâché and other recent building components, confirming the site was a recent hoax. Satellite images showed the slope had been artificially reshaped, contradicting Malosso’s claim of a landslide‑revealed ruin. Italian courts convicted him of illegal construction, environmental violations and forgery, sentencing him to two years and four months in prison. The removal of the structure is estimated to cost up to €300,000.