I agree.
We don't know for sure that he was penniless in Italy and just because he was begging, doesn't mean a thing imo, he may have just wanted a bed for the night, just to get to know people, so he could con them or commit other acts - he was a scammer, he could afford his train and bus tickets across the EU,also he had a rather expensive Allegro sitting at home.
He was on the run, lying low for a while, quite a familiar pattern with him IMO
He'd buried his footage and thought he was safe in Italy.
If you look at his life ... as soon as things get difficult, he flees.
Even though he roamed around, I think he built a deep dark network around him.
I have never deepend myself into the dark web before, but I surely think ... it was / is about question about assignments and profit to be made on the dark web.
-Steel on order, it is not uncommon you know ..?! Like the stolen passports..trade, the more question there is ... about raising fake IDs the more money you make ..?!
Could also be that he had to had MM to fulfill his sick fantasies and ‘others needs’ asked to be payed for that?
Anyway I do think CB abducted MM was a planned move, not sure if it was an “abduction in order”, but I do think it worked out both ways for him, getting his sickly fantasies become reality and sharing it for a price to anyone who would have ... the same twisted..low levels.
Going back to the time before his arrest...
And he knew..that in NL,they got zero on him to arrest..he was followed and he ditched the Dutch LE ... Time to get out..traveled through (Switzerland?) to get to Italy where he was comfort enough to hide (his ...) put in a request for an new passport/ID.
Carry a bible( its Italy!) and a card from a lawyer,he has been there before... I am a believer!