The fake amphitheater that duped tourists ends in prison
A man in Arcugnano, Italy built a 54,000-square-foot “ancient” theater that wasn’t Greek or Roman and charged visitors up to 40 euros to visit. Local police uncovered the scheme in 2016, and after a decade-long legal battle Franco Malosso (also known as Von Rosenfranz) was convicted of art forgery, building without authorization, and damaging a UNESCO-protected landscape, receiving a 28-month jail term plus fines. The site has been sequestered and ordered to be torn down, with experts noting genuine Roman sites remain nearby for those interested in antiquity.