Serse Cosmi testified in court on Tuesday in the trial of gang members who took him and his family hostage on January 19, 2011.
The Pescara boss, his wife, and his daughter were all held at gunpoint for approximately an hour while the suspects stole money and jewelry from their house in Umbria.
“When I was slammed to the ground, the gang leader intervened and said, ‘He is the coach,'” Cosmi said. “I was afraid and started to feel ill.”
“I told them I would give them anything as long as they didn’t hurt my daughter and my wife.”
“They slapped me. They hit me in the head with the butt of a gun, but not in a violent way. It was mostly to intimidate and create a climate of terror.”
“They made us get under the bed sheets while one pointed a gun at us and another threatened us with a spanner while the others searched the villa.”
“They spoke understandable Italian, but with Eastern European accents.”
