Aahana Swrup
Netflix’s documentary ‘Stolen: Heist of the Century’ delves into the fascinating tale of the Antwerp Diamond Heist, the largest-scale diamond heist of all time. The Mark Lewis directorial offers a kaleidoscope of perspectives, touching upon the story from every angle. Agim De Bruycker and Patrick Peys, who served as the central detectives on the case back in 2003, lay out the facts and theories of the investigation. Inversely, we also get to follow the narrative of Leonardo Notarbartolo, the man convicted as the mastermind behind the famously impressive robbery. Interestingly enough, even after so many years, the specifics of the night of the heist remain a mystery to authorities, leaving Notarbartolo’s testimony as the only reputable version. Still, while the specifics of his crime remain ambiguous, the identity of most of his partners in crime has long been unveiled.
Leonardo Notarbartolo Has Become an Author to Tell His Story
Leonardo Notarbartolo and his crew of skilled thieves pulled off a seemingly impossible heist at the Diamond District’s Antwerp Diamond Center. Overcoming ten layers of security systems, the robbers managed to break into the high-security vault and steal millions’ worth in gems, gold, and more. Nonetheless, a hasty mistake inevitably led the authorities to identify Notarbartolo and his accomplices. In the end, the latter’s return to Antwerp ended up spelling out his doom as he was briskly arrested during an ill-advised visit to the Diamond Center building. By 2005, the court reached a verdict on his case, finding him guilty of the heist’s organization and execution. Thus, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Initially, in 2009, Notarbartolo was able to get out of prison on parole after only serving four years of his 10-year sentence. Nonetheless, his inability to compensate the victims of his crime contributed to the violation of his parole conditions. For the same reason, another arrest warrant was issued against him in 2011. Eventually, after getting arrested again in 2013, he went on to serve the rest of his sentence. By 2017, he was out of prison and ready to return to his old life. Around the same time, he was able to fix his estranged relationship with his wife, Adriana Crudo. Today, the couple lives together in Turin, Italy. Between beachside outings, dinner dates, and hearty gatherings with their kids and grandkids, the couple seems to have rekindled their love and devotion toward each other.
Additionally, Notarbartolo also seems to have a bustling social life. As a football lover, he’s a part of his local football team known as the Veteranos Group. Additionally, he also made acquaintances with big names from the Italian film industry, like Gianmarco Tognazzi and Kim Rossi Stuart. Both these actors starred in the 2023 TV show ‘Everybody Loves Diamonds,’ which fictionalizes the events of the Antwerp Diamond Heist. Therefore, it remains evident that despite the complications of his past, Notarbartolo has embraced every facet of his life to the fullest. In 2023, the former thief also went on to publish his life’s story through his debut book ‘Rubare l’impossibile,’ co-written with Peter d’Angelo. Ultimately, in his 70s, the convict-turned-author seems eager to live life to the fullest, with his loved ones by his side.
Ferdinando Finotto Passed Away in 2022
Ferdinando Finotto was among the four robbers convicted of the Antwerp Diamond Heist. Since Notarbartolo never divulged his accomplices’ identities, only talking about them through nicknames, the other man’s arrest came through different channels. After searching the mastermind’s apartment in Antwerp, the authorities found a local grocery store receipt for a sandwich. It was the same sandwich that became critical DNA evidence against Notarbartolo during the investigation. Therefore, the cops sought out further information about the sandwich, which brought them to security footage of Finotto at the grocery store buying the antipasto Italiano salami.
Consequently, Finotto was identified as one of the robbers, monikered as “The Monster,” for his stellar ability to master any craft, including lock-picking, mechanics, and more. In the end, his immediate arrest was ordered, and the court sentenced him to five years in prison with a fine of 5,000 euros. After serving his sentence in Italy rather than Belgium, the skilled criminal remained out of the limelight in the aftermath. Yet, his name inevitably popped up again around 2015. At the time, Finotto was living in Turin, Italy, where he was a part of an “umbrella gang.” The group was known for ATM thefts, carried out with the help of a unique key they created themselves. In the end, the authorities were able to catch the group in November 2015, adding another illicit inclusion to The Monster’s rap sheet. Unfortunately, by July 2022, at the age of 63, Finotto passed away due to an unidentified illness.
Pietro Tavano Remains Out of the Spotlight
Unlike the other participants in the crime, Pietro Tavano shared a deep history with Leonardo Notarbartolo. Largely believed to be Speedy, the former was a long-time friend of the latter. Therefore, despite his flighty, anxious, and paranoid tendencies, Notarbartolo is said to have advocated for his inclusion in the group for loyalty’s sake. Nonetheless, this decision ended up contributing toward the robbers’ ultimate doom. In the aftermath of the heist, Tavano allegedly panicked and haphazardly dispersed incriminating garbage from the heist and the group’s safehouse at the Floordambos Woods.
In time, this trash eventually guided the authorities toward the robbers, offering a treasure trove of evidence. Tavano’s link to the heist was uncovered with the discovery of two SIM cards that belonged to the group. Following his arrest, the man opted for radio silence, preferring not to share his side of the story. Ultimately, like his associates, he was also given a five-year prison sentence with a 5,000 euro fine. Reportedly, he was believed to be serving his sentence in 2009. Yet, since then, there have been little to no updates about his life.
Elio D’Onorio Received a Five-Year Prison Sentence
Even though the authorities believed five people were involved in the Antwerp Diamond Heist, only four were ever caught. Among the convicted, Elio D’Onorio is believed to be known as The Genius. At the time of the heist, he was a known Italian criminal infamous for his specialization in alarm systems. The specialist’s name came up early on in the investigation after the authorities found his business card in the trash pile discovered at the Floordambos Woods. Reports suggest that D’Onorio initially denied involvement in the heist and only admitted to fitting security cameras in Notarbartolo’s office.
Nonetheless, DNA evidence from the ransacked vault incriminated D’Onorio, ultimately leading to his extradition to Belgium in November 2007. In the end, he also received a five-year prison sentence, paired with a 5,000 euro fine. Intriguingly enough, despite the arrest of D’Onorio and his co-conspirators, no traces of the stolen loot have been discovered yet. Consequently, the estimated 100 million dollars from the lucrative heist still remains in the wind, with no concrete knowledge about its whereabouts.
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