The thief who stole diamonds worth $5.7 million and will only pay a fine of $340
Lulu Lakatos posed as a gemstone appraiser
A thief who posed as a gem expert to exchange $5.7 million worth of diamonds for stones has been ordered to pay back as little as $340.
Lulu Lakatos, 60, is serving a five-and-a-half-year sentence after she was convicted of conspiracy to rob.
She told Boodles jewellers, in London’s posh Mayfair district, that she had been sent to appraise seven diamonds on behalf of Russian buyers.
This Romanian citizen, who was convicted last July, was caught on security cameras while doing a sleight of hand with which he managed to exchange a padlocked bag that contained genuine diamonds for a duplicate.
It all happened in March 2016.
The woman replaced the diamonds with a briefcase containing stones.Lakatos changed clothes in a pub bathroom before fleeing the country.
According to research, after placing the false briefcase, he left the store.
That is when he gave the gems to an unknown woman linked to an international criminal gang, who fled from the UK to France in three hours.
The bag containing the stones was placed in Boodles’ safe and the ruse it was not detected until the next day.
the real diamonds they never recovered.
Now a judge has sentenced Lakatos to pay a fine that allegedly amounts to his entire capital.
Employees at Boodles, in central London, believed the woman was selling diamonds for a Russian named Alexander.
At trial it was said that the only asset the thief owned was 245 pounds ($340) in cash that were found on her when she was arrested.
Judge Alexander Milne QC noted the “striking contrast” between the value of the stolen diamonds and Lakatos’ available assets.
Since the money had already been seized, he set a one-day default sentence and gave her a month to pay off the debt.
Romanian-born Lakatos is expected to be extradited to Francewhere he resided.
Now you can receive notifications from BBC News World. Download the new version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss out on our best content.
A thief who posed as a gem expert to exchange $5.7 million worth of diamonds for stones has been ordered to pay back as little as $340.
Lulu Lakatos, 60, is serving a five-and-a-half-year sentence after she was convicted of conspiracy to rob.
She told Boodles jewellers, in London’s posh Mayfair district, that she had been sent to appraise seven diamonds on behalf of Russian buyers.
This Romanian citizen, who was convicted last July, was caught on security cameras while doing a sleight of hand with which he managed to exchange a padlocked bag that contained genuine diamonds for a duplicate.
It all happened in March 2016.
The woman replaced the diamonds with a briefcase containing stones.Lakatos changed clothes in a pub bathroom before fleeing the country.
According to research, after placing the false briefcase, he left the store.
That is when he gave the gems to an unknown woman linked to an international criminal gang, who fled from the UK to France in three hours.
The bag containing the stones was placed in Boodles’ safe and the ruse it was not detected until the next day.
the real diamonds they never recovered.
Now a judge has sentenced Lakatos to pay a fine that allegedly amounts to his entire capital.
Employees at Boodles, in central London, believed the woman was selling diamonds for a Russian named Alexander.
At trial it was said that the only asset the thief owned was 245 pounds ($340) in cash that were found on her when she was arrested.
Judge Alexander Milne QC noted the “striking contrast” between the value of the stolen diamonds and Lakatos’ available assets.
Since the money had already been seized, he set a one-day default sentence and gave her a month to pay off the debt.
Romanian-born Lakatos is expected to be extradited to Francewhere he resided.
Now you can receive notifications from BBC News World. Download the new version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss out on our best content.
Newspaper Mail Editorial Updated 02/16/2026, 05:06 pm Father and daughter fell into the Huallaga River with the vehicle in which they were traveling, after the unit got lost at kilometer 191 of
Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) predicted little chance of rain showers for this Tuesday, due to the presence of a anticyclone that will prevent the formation of significant clouds.
Through her social networks, the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, posted a video in which she made reference to the birth of her father, the socialist leader Jorge Rodríguez. «I honor my father
At Carnival, many spaces have barriers that limit the movement and permanence of people with disabilities (PWD) at events, such as the lack of ramps, sidewalks and tactile flooring, limited availability of
MIAMI, United States. – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel Albares, promised the Foreign Minister of the Cuban regime, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, the sending to
