Court in Verona grants Chico Forti semi-liberty — ANSA English
The court supervising the enforcement of sentences in Verona, Italy, has granted 67-year-old Chico Forti a semi-liberty regime. Forti is serving a life sentence for the murder of Dale Pike in Miami in 1998. In May 2024, he was transferred from the United States to Italy to continue serving his sentence.
Verdict in the Pike case
As ANSA English reports, Forti was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States over Pike's death in February 1998. Pike was the son of the owner of the renowned Pike's Hotel on the Spanish island of Ibiza.
Forti is a former professional windsurfer and entrepreneur. Before his transfer to Italy, he spent 25 years in the state of Florida. His petition for a pardon was actively supported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Forti's transfer to Italy became possible after her visit to the United States.
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Previous easing of restrictions
In December 2025, Forti was already granted permission to work outside prison. In June 2025, he was allowed to attend educational facilities in prison, and since February, he had been able to take leave to visit his mother in Trento.
According to the agency, Forti began learning to make pizza, helping elderly people and teaching windsurfing to people with disabilities. He denies killing Dale Pike and maintains that he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. His position has considerable support.
