Cops took control of computer to hunt for kidnappers

MODELLING AGENT ON CAPTORS’

the boxes were ticked. I’ve been doing this job for 30 years and I always carry out checks – but there’s no way you could predict something like this.

“His studio was called Bellissmafique. I even checked the address on Google maps. Chloe was more than happy to take the job. And he paid £900 up front.”

But when she travelled to France in April, things went dramatically wrong. Mr Green says: “I saw on TV there had been terror attack in Paris, a policeman had been killed. I called Chloe straight away and told her to stay in her hotel.”

The next morning the photographer called and said his studio had been ransacked and the shoot was off. Herba then visited her at her hotel to give her €100 expenses for the day.

Mr Green says: “The photographer emailed me a couple of days later to apologise, but he later booked Chloe again for July 11. We discussed all the details again and he paid up. We even discussed sizes so he could get leathers for her. He sent pictures of his new studio with the same ‘Bellissmafique’ sign.”

Chloe arrived in Milan on July 10 and stayed in the Hotel Galles in the centre. The shoot was due to take place at 8.30am on the 11th. That night Mr Green received a frantic call from Chloe’s mum.

WORRIED

He says: “I’d never spoken to her before. She was worried Chloe hadn’t been in touch. I sent messages to the photographer and called him but got no answer. I checked with the airline but Chloe hadn’t boarded the flight back to the UK. I then called her but her phone rang out.”

Next morning, worried Mr Green told Chloe’s mum to call the police. Then at about 10am he received the chilling ransom email.

It said: “We have Chloe and we are the Black Death Group. Unless you pay money to us by Sunday she will be put to auction where she may get sold to the Russian mafia.”

The email also contained the names of three wealthy businessmen – celebrity agent Dave Read, 50, former Loaded magazine publisher Paul Baxendale-walker, 53, and investment banker Rory Mccarthy, 57.

Mr Green says: “I was frozen to the spot. It said they could be approached to get the money. The names must have come from Chloe.”

He called the British consulate in Milan. “They said they would get the Foreign Office special crimes unit involved.” Mr Green then received a call from the Met police, who had been contacted by Chloe’s mum.

“I told them what I had received and they passed it to my local force in the East Midlands. In no time at all the police were at my office.

“They took over all my emails and