Latest news with #Menga
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former UFC signee Pietro Menga sentenced to 15 years in jail
Former UFC signee Pietro Menga has been sentenced to serve 15-and-a-half years in a British jail. Menga, 37, was arrested in January 2024 for his actions in what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) call a "lucrative job as a middleman for an organized crime group," according to Sky News. Menga pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine. The arrest came under Operation Foam, an effort by GMP to identify and arrest criminals using the encrypted messaging application EncroChat. Menga was one of 300 arrests. According to police, Menga was involved in drug sales that estimated somewhere between $652,000 to $825,000 (£490,000 to £620,000). Nicknamed "The Italian Stallion," Menga compiled a 14-4 record and was still active at the time of his arrest. He was scheduled for a bout in OKTAGON the same month he was arrested. Menga's biggest claim to fame was his short-notice UFC signing to face Tim Elliott in December 2017. After he did not weigh in, the flyweight fight was canceled and Menga was released. He also competed once in Bellator in 2016 and once in ACB in 2018. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Former UFC signee sentenced to 15 years in jail on drug, gun charges
USA Today
24-04-2025
- USA Today
Former UFC signee Pietro Menga sentenced to 15 years in jail
Former UFC signee Pietro Menga sentenced to 15 years in jail Former UFC signee Pietro Menga has been sentenced to serve 15-and-a-half years in a British jail. Menga, 37, was arrested in January 2024 for his actions in what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) call a "lucrative job as a middleman for an organized crime group," according to Sky News. Menga pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine. The arrest came under Operation Foam, an effort by GMP to identify and arrest criminals using the encrypted messaging application EncroChat. Menga was one of 300 arrests. According to police, Menga was involved in drug sales that estimated somewhere between $652,000 to $825,000 (£490,000 to £620,000). Nicknamed "The Italian Stallion," Menga compiled a 14-4 record and was still active at the time of his arrest. He was scheduled for a bout in OKTAGON the same month he was arrested. Menga's biggest claim to fame was his short-notice UFC signing to face Tim Elliott in December 2017. After he did not weigh in, the flyweight fight was canceled and Menga was released. He also competed once in Bellator in 2016 and once in ACB in 2018.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Time of India
Former UFC flyweight prospect sentenced to 15 years and 5 months in jail after pleading guilty to firearms and drug trafficking accusations
Pietro Menga. Photo by Adam Crowther Potential UFC flyweight prospect Pietro Menga was sentenced to jail for 15 years and 5 months after pleading guilty to charges of being the middleman for one of the largest firearm and drug trafficking conspiracies in the UK. The fighter was accused of the crimes after the authorities decoded his texts over an encrypted messaging platform, EncroChat . Menga's prison sentence was declared on April 22, 2025. Pietro Menga found guilty of being a middleman in one of the biggest firearm and drug trafficking conspiracies in the UK Pietro Menga, a fighter based out of England, was one of the most promising fighters with 13 straight wins in a row. The fighter was scheduled to face Tim Elliot at UFC on FOX 26, but missed out on weight, following which the UFC cut him loose. The flyweight fighter had an abrupt ending to his UFC career without even taking off with his debut bout within the Octagon. Post the UFC debacle, the fighter lost 4 straight bouts before finally securing a win in 2023 against Sam Halliday at the BMF MMA 5. His bout against Kiru Sahota has also been cancelled owing to certain circumstances. However, his promising MMA career might just have ended with the recent devastating changes in his life. In 2020, the Greater Manchester Police suspected suspicious activities by the fighter when the once encrypted messaging platform was decoded by the police department. The encrypted messages talked about detailed drug deals, firearms sales, and assassination attempts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Impressive Female Athletes Who Also Rock The Red Carpet Undo 'After identifying Menga through messages where he openly spoke about his girlfriend, his knee injuries from fighting, and his home gym, detectives were able to piece together evidence which demonstrated the anonymous user was in fact Menga.' The police report further stated, 'From the messages on his encrypted mobile phone, a drugs expert estimated the street sale value of drugs that Menga was involved in were worth between £490,000 to £620,000, and he showed no indication of slowing down or stepping away from the world of crime.' After gathering significant evidence against the fighter, the Greater Manchester Police arrested him on January 15, 2024 'On 15 January 2024, police executed a warrant at Menga's home address on Mount Street in Swinton and he was arrested.' Also read: Conor McGregor supports Donald Trump's tariff policy amid intense criticism Menga, before his arrest, was preparing to bounce back from a slump with a win and pave his way back into the UFC. However, this dream might just end up being a dream, with the recent turn of legal events in his life. Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India , including match schedules , team squads , points table and IPL live score for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Don't miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap .
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Manchester's self-styled 'Rocky' jailed for selling guns and drugs
A professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter who once described himself as Manchester's answer to Rocky Balboa has been jailed for dealing drugs and selling Menga, who also called himself The Italian Stallion, was caught when the National Crime Agency (NCA) infiltrated a once-encrypted messaging service. The NCA said Menga, 37, boasted in Encrochat conversations that he had Skorpion automatic machine guns that were "always good for a rainy day".Menga, of Salford, was sentenced to 15 years and five months when he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Tuesday. Menga, of Mount Street, Swinton, admitted conspiracy to sell or transfer banned weapons and cocaine detectives trawled through thousands of anonymous Encrochat messages which detailed drug deals, firearms sales, and assassination attempts, the NCA identifying Menga through messages in which he openly spoke about his girlfriend, knee injuries from fighting, and his home gym, detectives knew Menga was the man behind the handle "wirelessshark". 'Evidence trail' A drugs expert estimated Menga was involved in drugs with a street value of between £490,000 and £620, was arrested when his home was raided on 15 January NCA said: "Menga, like many criminals before him, thought he was hiding behind a secure communications system."Instead, he created his own evidence trail that has led them straight to jail."In December 2017 Menga told BBC Three of his ambitions to rise up the UFC (Ultimate Fight Club) rankings as a had just received notice of his debut UFC fight."For me this is a Manchester Rocky story," he said. "A lad from Manchester takes a fight on 12 days' notice."The Rocky movie franchise features a rags-to-riches story of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer
Sky News
23-04-2025
- Sky News
MMA fighter Pietro Menga jailed for 15 years for drugs and firearms offences
An MMA fighter known as the "Italian Stallion" has been jailed for 15 years and five months for drugs and firearms offences. Pietro Menga had a day job as an MMA fighter, even signing for UFC, but Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said he also had a "lucrative job as a middleman for an organised crime group". The force said Menga was involved in sourcing "large quantities of cocaine". On Tuesday, the former fighter was jailed after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine. GMP officers became aware of Menga after the National Crime Agency infiltrated the once encrypted messaging platform EncroChat. The 37-year-old was identified through messages where he openly discussed his girlfriend, his knee injuries from fighting and his home gym. Under the username "wirelessshark", Menga also openly spoke about buying and selling drugs and guns. He was involved in an estimated sale of drugs worth between £490,000 to £620,000, police said. 'Always good for a rainy day' In one message, Menga refers to a Skorpion automatic machine gun as a "tastey [sic] bit of kit", adding the weapon was "always good for a rainy day". Officers discovered several similar conversations of this nature, with Menga trying to source guns for others. Menga was arrested on 15 January 2024. EncroChat crackdown Menga's arrest comes as part of GMP's response to the national takedown of EncroChat. It came under Operation Foam, which has seen more than 300 arrests, with more possible. GMP said it had arrested "kingpins", as well as "middle-tier criminals". Detective Constable Shiels from GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group said: "The level that Menga operated at showed he clearly had an established list of criminal contacts, one which will have been built over several years under the radar, facilitated by the use of EncroChat."
