In August of 2019, the city of New York was unsettled by the disappearance and subsequent death of Andrea Zamperoni, the 33-year-old Italian head chef of the renowned restaurant Cipriani Dolci. Zamperoni was a respected and beloved member of the Cipriani team, known for his dedication and hard work. Concern grew after he failed to show up for his shift, an unusual occurrence for the highly professional chef.
His friends and family, including his mother in Italy with whom he spoke daily, knew something was amiss when he missed their regular phone call.
The search for Zamperoni ended in tragedy when his body was discovered at the Kamway Lodge in Elmhurst, Queens, a location known for prostitution and drug activity. When police arrived at the motel room, they were met with the smell of a deceased person and burning incense. Inside, they found Zamperoni's body wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a garbage can, with a foot protruding from the sheets.
An investigation into the chef's death led to the arrest of Angelina Barini, a 41-year-old sex worker with a history of arrests for drugs and prostitution. Barini was in the motel room when police discovered Zamperoni's body and initially claimed her pimp made her do it. However, she later admitted to providing Zamperoni with drugs after he had paid her for sex. She recounted that he began bleeding from the mouth and nose and did not wake up. Fearing the consequences, she and others discussed dismembering the body to dispose of it.
Further investigation revealed a more sinister plot. Barini had conspired with her ex-boyfriend, Leslie Lescano, to drug and rob Zamperoni. Lescano allegedly supplied Barini with the date-rape drug GBL and hid in the bathroom of the motel room while Barini was with the chef. After Zamperoni was incapacitated, Lescano used his credit card to make purchases. Barini was linked to the deaths of three other men under similar circumstances in the summer of 2019, all involving lethal doses of drugs. Angelina Barini was ultimately sentenced to 30 years in prison for a string of fatal druggings, including that of Andrea Zamperoni. Leslie Lescano was also arrested and faced federal charges for his role in the scheme.
