08-08-2025
Netflix's Stolen Heist of the Century mastermind identity and what happened to criminals
What happened to the small group of master thieves said to be behind the heist
A new Netflix documentary looks into the case of what is often described as one of the most daring diamond heists that ever took place.
Stolen: Heist of the Century releases on the streaming platform from Friday (August 8). It comes from the same production company, RAW, who are behind other Netflix hits such as Don't F*** With Cats, American Nightmare and The Tindler Swindler.
According to the synopsis of this new feature length doc tells the story of the ultimate true-life crime caper. The Antwerp detectives who cracked the case along with the alleged criminal mastermind are gathered for the first time to give a blow-by-blow account of what really happened.
On the morning of February 17, 2003, detectives from Antwerp's infamous Diamond Squad were called to investigate the brazen night-time robbery of an allegedly impregnable vault in the middle of the City of Diamonds.
It is estimated that at least $100 million worth of diamonds were stolen. Now, after more than 20 years, the world will finally learn how they pulled it off.
One of the biggest questions viewers will have, is just who was the mastermind behind the heist and what happened to the criminals responsible? Be warned, below includes full spoilers for Stolen: Heist of the Century, so you should watch the film first if you want to go in without knowing anything.
Who was the mastermind behind the Antwerp diamond heist?
An ingenious gang of master thieves from Italy, known as The School of Turin were said to be behind the audacious heist. Despite his claims in the documentary, the individual said to be the mastermind behind this group was Leonardo Notarbartolo.
He was assisted by four other individuals who Notarbartolo referred to in interviews by their aliases. These were:
Speedy - a long-time friend of Notarbartolo and responsible for scattering the rubbish in the woods. Belgian police believe this to be Pietro Tavano.
The Monster - apparently an expert lock picker, electrician, mechanic and driver. Belgian police believe this to be Ferdinando Finotto.
The Genius - a specialist in alarm systems. Belgian police believe this to be Elio D'Onorio linked to series of robberies.
The King of Keys - described as one of the best key forgers in the world. His true identity is unknown.
What happened to the criminals responsible behind the diamond heist?
Notarbartolo was found guilty of orchestrating the heist. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the court of appeal of Antwerp in 2005, but was released on parole in 2009.
Tavano, D'Onorio, and Finotto each got five years in prison for their roles. The King of Keys was never identified.
In an interview with Wired magazine, Notarbartolo claimed the heist was a part of an insurance fraud scheme. However, this is heavily disputed as the vault itself was uninsured. In that same piece, he also claims an anonymous diamond dealer told him how the heist could be done.
According to Good To Know, Notarbartolo was found to be violating some terms of his parole, believed to be linked to paying back the value of stolen goods. As result he was arrested again in 2013 and made to serve the rest of his sentence.
He is thought to be living in Turin since his release in 2017.
