Charges Dropped For Fiat Heir Who Allegedly Faked Own Kidnapping On NYC Coke Bender

KIPS BAY, NY — Prosecutors have dropped a criminal charge against Lapo Elkann, the grandson of the Italian founder of Fiat Automobiles, who faked his own kidnapping to score cash for drugs during a two-day bender at a transgender escort's apartment in a public housing project in Kips Bay in November.

The Manhattan DA’s office declined to prosecute the case, a spokesperson from the office told Patch Wednesday.

Notorious party boy Elkann, 39, flew into NYC on Thanksgiving; went to a 29-year-old transgender woman's apartment in the public Strauss Houses complex on East 28th Street, in the Kips Bay area of eastern Manhattan; did cocaine and smoked pot with her for two full days; then ran out of money.

Elkann, the grandson of Fiat founder Gianni Agnelli, told family members that he was being held by a woman demanding a ransom of $10,000 and begged them to pay her what she wanted. A representative for the family reportedly complied, but dropped off the $10,000 cash at the police station.

See Related: Fiat Heir on NYC Coke Bender Fakes Own Kidnapping for Drug, Hooker Money: Reports

Soon after, cops located Elkann and the escort in front of the Kips Bay housing project and took them in for questioning. He was arrested outside the public Strauss Houses complex on East 28th Streetfor filing a false police report.

"This has been a difficult period for me, but it has also given me time to reflect quietly upon what happened and also about the future," Elkann said in relation to his arrest in a statement provided by his publicist, Alessia Margiotta Broglio, and obtained by NBC.

Elkann's attorney, Randy Zelin, told NBC they presented information to prosecutors, who "conducted a thorough investigation" and determined no crime was committed.

Photo by Thomas Angermann/Flickr