Latest news with #PietroMenga
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 .
