Ex-Pro Cyclist Turned OnlyFans Model Arrested with $2,500 in Fake Bills

Italian police arrested former professional cyclist Andrea Piccolo in Naples this week after discovering counterfeit banknotes hidden inside a luxury SUV, Italian media reported.

Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport first reported the arrest in what’s the latest twist for the once-promising Italian cycling talent.

According to Italian media reports, police stopped a Porsche Macan with San Marino plates near Piazza Municipio late Monday and uncovered €2,000 in fake €20 notes concealed beneath the steering column.

Two other men were in the vehicle, and police also found a telescopic baton, considered a weapon under Italian law.

Piccolo, who was behind the steering wheel, was taken into custody, according to Italian media reports.

Piccolo’s career flamed out before it really started, much of it from his own doing.

Now 24, he turned professional in 2021 after a string of top results, and bounced between teams before EF Education-EasyPost gave him a shot. He raced the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, even wearing the Vuelta leader’s red jersey early in the Spanish grand tour in 2023.

Things unraveled in 2024 after Italian authorities stopped him on suspicion of illegally importing growth hormone.

EF Education-EasyPost — which had already suspended him for taking a medication without team approval — quickly dismissed him.

He hasn’t raced since the 2024 Giro and is still waiting for the outcome of a possible anti-doping case.

Piccolo later made headlines after his pro career ended when his profile showed up on the adult site OnlyFans, alongside a girlfriend, promising insight into the life of a pro cyclist.

There is no official reaction from Piccolo.