Man Filmed Vandalizing Rome Colosseum Identified, Faces Up to Five Years in Prison The incident went viral after it was caught on camera earlier this week.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Getty Images

A man has officially been identified in the search for a tourist that defaced the Colosseum in Rome by carving names into a brick wall at the historical landmark.

Italy's Culture Minister, Gennaro Sangiuliano, took to social media on Thursday to report that the Italian police (the Carabinieri) had "identified the person presumed to be responsible for the uncivilized and absurd act committed at the Colosseum."

Sangiuliano called the incident an "act that has offended all those throughout the world who appreciate the value of archaeology, monuments, and history" in a translated Tweet and noted that there was a possibility that the case could go to trial.

The man has not been publicly named, but it was confirmed by NBC that he is from the U.K. and was a tourist who was identified through "traditional investigations and photographic comparison."

The vandalism went viral earlier this week after a video of the man carving "Ivan+Hayley 23" started making its rounds on the internet, with the man etching the stone smiling after realizing he was being filmed.

"People who cause damage must pay," the Italian police told CNN in a statement.

The original video was posted on Reddit by a California man named Ryan Lutz who said he was "pretty upset" when he saw the man taking what appeared to be keys to the wall of the building.

Idiot tourist engraves the name of his girlfriend with keys on the Colosseum, Rome. He is facing a 18.000€ fine. As a Roman, I wish they would ban him from Rome forever.
by u/thoxo in iamatotalpieceofshit

"You always hate to see any tourist doing that … You kind of hold out hope that they're not American," he said.

If found guilty, the man could be fined up to roughly $15,000 or be sentenced to five years in prison.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Living

9 Ways to Attract Good Energy Today and Every Day

Good energy can boost our feelings of well-being, dissolve feelings of anxiety and improve communication.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'I Love Doing Product Reviews': Bill Gates Stepped Down from Microsoft in 2020, But Admits He Still Spends 15% of His Time Working at the Company

In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Gates also said he is still close with Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella.

Business News

Elon Musk's DOGE Is Hiring People Eager to 'Work Long Hours' to Eliminate 'Waste, Fraud and Abuse' in the Government. Here's How to Apply.

The Department of Government Efficiency is hiring U.S. citizens to help cut spending and headcounts in the federal government.

Business News

'Everyone Can Profit From It': What Is DeepSeek? China's 'Cheap' to Make AI Chatbot Climbs to the Top of Apple, Google U.S. App Stores

DeepSeek researchers claim it was developed for less than $6 million, a contrast to the $100 million it takes U.S. tech startups to create AI.

Business News

Uber's CEO Says Drivers Have About 10 Years Left Before They Will Be Replaced

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the jobs of human drivers are safe for the next decade, but after that, another type of driver will take over.