Pandemic Woes: A Naples Entrepreneur's Descent into Usury

The pandemic dealt the final blow to the finances of a Neapolitan entrepreneur. Rising expenses and a decline in business led him to seek support from those who live off exorbitant interest rates. The man turned to a loan shark. One thousand euros was the first loan, accepted despite the 40% interest rate applied. The whirlpool of interest never stopped, as much as the repayment of the loan and the "tax" was amply guaranteed. Thus, the victim found himself asking for more money. After about three years, for an actual loan of 5700 euros, the entrepreneur paid his lender over 26,000 euros. Bound by an increasing noose of debt, the victim decided to report everything to the Carabinieri. The officers from the Pianura station listened and put the entire story down in writing. They then planned an operation so that the loan shark could be caught red-handed. The hook was provided by the payment of one of the monthly installments. To the meeting, the entrepreneur arrived with the Carabinieri, in the first minutes of the exchange completely invisible, blended in among pedestrians and shop customers. When the umpteenth installment was delivered into the hands of the creditor, the blitz was triggered. Francesco Bardario, a 40-year-old Neapolitan, was handcuffed. In his home, the military found over 50,000 euros in cash. He is now in jail, awaiting trial.