Alessandro Casolari, known as Caso, led the ultras of SPAL Ferrara in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He later became a cocaine smuggler, hostage negotiator, and self-proclaimed Marxist-Leninist revolutionary. Journalist Tobias Jones spent a year with Casolari, uncovering a life of violence, crime, and delusion.
The Early Years
Born in Ferrara in 1966, Casolari attended a private convent school and studied languages. He joined the SPAL ultras at 16, a subculture known for violence and hierarchy. In 1986, he founded the Gruppo d'Azione, the military wing of the ultras. His early criminal record includes mugging and assault, but he avoided prison due to amnesties.
From Ultra to Criminal
In 1992, a flare incident at a match caused severe injuries to a woman, leading to a lawsuit and financial ruin for Casolari. He served short prison sentences for fighting and holding a sex worker hostage. In prison, he met a Colombian who introduced him to the drug trade.
Hostage Negotiation and Drug Smuggling
After the army, Casolari became involved in hostage negotiations with FARC guerrillas in Colombia. He claimed to have helped secure the release of Pablo Moncayo in 2010. Simultaneously, he smuggled around 400 kilos of cocaine into Italy, using a network of former ultras.
Downfall and Arrest
In 2023, Casolari orchestrated a kidnapping over a debt, which went wrong. He was arrested in 2024, facing charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping. He spent six months in prison, much of it in solitary, and was released pending trial.
A Life of Contradictions
Casolari presents himself as a loyal, sincere person, but his actions tell a different story. He is a megalomaniac with a violent temper, yet he claims to be a political prisoner. His ex-partners describe him as living in a fantasy world.
Casolari's trial continues, and he faces the possibility of a long prison sentence. His story is a cautionary tale of how a charismatic leader can descend into a life of crime.
