After his dodgy decisions in the 2002 World Cup, referee Byron Moreno was the most hated man in Italy.
But that was just the start - he was soon sucked into a life of crime.
Political corruption, heroin smuggling and gunge attacks: meet football's dodgiest ref...
Our story begins in 2002, when Ecuadorian ref Byron Moreno is called up for the World Cup in Japan and Korea.
It's a dream come true.
But Byron's antics in Asia are about to destroy his career...
In South Korea's Last 16 tie against Italy, he turns in a one of the most suspect performances ever seen.
The low point comes when Francesco Totti is fouled in the box and Byron shows him a second yellow for diving.
The Italians are disgusted.
South Korea eventually win thanks to a golden goal, and Moreno’s dodgy officiating means his career on the international stage is finished.
And he instantly becomes public enemy number 1 in Italy.
Defender Christian Panucci brands him "a bandit" who "was too fat to referee."
An Italian rock band release a song called ‘Drop Dead Moreno’, about the referee – and his "stupid face" – getting hit by a train.
In Sicily, the council names a foul toilet block "Moreno Toilets".
He scarpers back to Ecuador, where more disaster awaits him...
During a crunch game between Quito and Barcelona SC, the 4th official announces 6 mins of added time.
But Moreno plays on for 13 mins, during which Quito score twice to win 4-3.
It's especially fishy as he is running for election to the local council in Quito at the time.
It may have enamoured him to the local electorate, but that game cost him dearly.
Ecuador’s FA hand him a lengthy ban, and FIFA follow suit.
With his reputation in tatters, Moreno retires his whistle. And he doesn't even win the election.
So the disgraced ref cashes in on his infamy and embarks on a new career: Italian TV comedy.
He appears several times on a sketch show called "Stupido Hotel", where he is often gunged.
A live audience sing the "Drop Dead Moreno" song to him, imploring him to get hit by a train.
When the telly work dries up, Byron turns El Chapo.
Landing at New York's JFK Airport in 2010, customs officers pull a "visibly nervous" Moreno in for questioning.
On closer inspection, they find six kilos of heroin in his underpants and send him to prison for two years.
Italy keeper Gigi Buffon has no remorse.
"Six kilos of drugs?" he ponders.
"I believe Moreno already had them in 2002. But not in his underwear – in his system."
These days Byron is out of jail and running a school for referees.
But he still suffers the odd controversy.
Three weeks ago he was reffing an amateur tournament when an angry player ran up behind him and shoved him to the ground.
It went down very well in Italy.
If you thought Byron's life was wild, you'll love our rundown of 2023's maddest stories.
From Pele's shagging appetite to Steed Malbranque's penis enlargement, sign up below and we'll *instantly* send you the full stories.
Join 85k subs:
upshot.email/newsletter/202…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.