Italian authorities have arrested five men following the alleged kidnapping and gang rape of a 32-year-old tourist from Colombia in a case that has shocked Italy.
According to reports cited in Dailymail, the woman endured a 72-hour ordeal after disappearing in eastern Rome earlier this month. The incident reportedly began on May 19, ten days after she arrived in the Italian capital.
The woman had been dining alone near Rome’s Termini station when she was approached by a man who allegedly convinced her to follow him to buy hashish. After walking for around 30 minutes, they reportedly reached a van where a second man abducted her.
Una donna è rimasta rinchiusa per tre giorni in uno stabile abbandonato a Roma, dove, a più riprese, sarebbe stata costretta a subire violenze sessuali di gruppo dietro minacce di morte. Eseguiti 5 fermi a seguito delle indagini dei poliziotti della #squadra mobile#28maggio pic.twitter.com/W9KXiSNeO5
— Polizia di Stato (@poliziadistato) May 28, 2026
Police said the victim was then taken to an abandoned building in the Tor Cervara area on the outskirts of Rome. Authorities claim the building was being used as accommodation by undocumented migrants.
The woman told investigators she was held captive for three days, repeatedly assaulted by five men, drugged and threatened with death. Her mobile phone and wallet were also stolen, according to her statement.
She eventually managed to escape and was later found semi-naked on a sidewalk by an Italian driver, who took her to Rome’s Casilino Hospital. There, she was admitted to a specialist support program for women who are victims of violence.
Doctors reportedly identified injuries consistent with sexual abuse and confirmed that she had been given narcotic substances. Hospital staff immediately alerted police.
Italian investigators reconstructed the events within days, leading to a coordinated police operation involving local officers, forensic teams and immigration authorities.
Five men were arrested and charged with gang rape, with prosecutors citing the victim’s inability to defend herself as an aggravating factor. Authorities said the woman identified the suspects through photographs.
Police are also investigating the possible involvement of three additional individuals, including the man who initially approached the tourist outside the restaurant.
During searches at the abandoned building, officers reportedly found 22 non-EU nationals without valid residence documents. Several deportation orders were subsequently issued.
