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Alex Rodriguez’s nephew, Norberto Susini, was kidnapped in Manhattan on Wednesday, April 18, after a car sale deal went wrong, the New York Post reports.
Police were able to locate him, however, and his suspected abductors were booked.
Susini, 29, also plays baseball, much like his famous cousin, though he’s remained a career minor-leaguer and international player. Susini also sells high-end cars as a side job.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Was Kidnapped by 2 Men Who Were Interested in Purchasing a Lamborghini
According to the New York Post, Susini met up with Lamin Vucetovic and Anthony Gilkes — two men who were interested in buying a Lamborghini. The three guys were trying to negotiate a deal and ended up at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square to work out the details.
“Once they got there, Vucetovic tried to pump the brakes on the deal, sources say. He demanded Susini return a $30,000 deposit he put down on the $600,000 ride, and then Vucetovic and Gilkes allegedly held Susini against his will inside the hotel room, according to sources.”
According to the New York Daily News, Susini was able to “free himself” and call a friend. That friend promptly called 911.
2. There’s a Chance the Charges Brought Against the 2 Suspects Will Be Dropped
Vucetovic and Gilkes reached out to Susini’s “business partners” and “demanded a ransom,” but their request was denied. The police were called and Vucetovic and Gilkes were promptly taken into custody, according to the New York Post.
The New York Daily News report is a bit different.
“Gilkes and Vucetovic turned themselves in at 3:50 a.m. Thursday at the Midtown North station house. They were charged with unlawful imprisonment and kidnapping, police said,” according to the Daily News.
A source also told the Daily News that there is a chance that the charges against Vucetovic and Gilkes will be dropped. The site also noted that Gilkes has “one prior arrest in 2010 for grand larceny” and that Vucetovic “has no prior arrests.”
3. He Has Been Playing Baseball Professionally Since 2010
Susini started his baseball career with the Seattle Mariners organization back in 2010. Perhaps following in his uncle’s footsteps (Rodriquez played for the Mariners from 1993 – 2000). Susini played for the team’s minor league division, joining the Arizona League Mariners.
Two years later, the utility player — able to play catcher, second and third base –signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins, but he only stayed with the organization for a few months. He joined the Newark Bears of the Can-Am League and then played for the Bridgeport Bluefish. In 2013, his career in the minors continued with the Kansas City T-Bones.
For the 2014-2015 season, Susini played for the Camden Riversharks. The following year, he played for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. In 2017, he signed with the Generales de Durango of the Mexican Baseball League and was on the roster of the Dominican Republic National Team.
Despite spending the past decade playing in the minor leagues, he has not signed a deal to play in the majors. He is currently a free agent.
4. He Has Been in Trouble With the Law in the Past
Miami Dade County Sheriff
Susini has had a couple of run-ins with the law over the years.
In 2014, Susini was charged with three counts of dealing in stolen property and one count of organized fraud, according to the Miami-Dade Clerk’s office. The disposition is listed as “no action,” denoting that the prosecutor declined to press charges.
In January 2018, Susini was charged with another third-degree felony for grand theft of a vehicle. That case was also marked as no action.
According to public records, there is an open case against him. Susini is due in court later this month on a third degree felony charge for grand theft of a vehicle.
5. He Is the Nephew of Former Baseball Player Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez has not commented on his nephew’s kidnapping.
Rodriquez played 22 seasons in the major leagues. He spent the beginning of his career with the Seattle Mariners before playing for the Texas Rangers, and then finishing his professional baseball career with the New York Yankees in 2016.
He currently works as a broadcaster for Fox Sports.
