by Scott Selby
European Union, 159, 208
Europol, 63
Exclusive Diamonds, 127
Falleti, Antonino, 55, 157–160, 166–167, 222, 229
alibi of, 187
bail for, 189, 195
home raided, 181–182
innocence of, 204–205
as Leonardo Notarbartolo friend, 182–183, 188–189
in police custody, 169–170
prison detainment, 178–179
as prisoner, 189–191
questioning, 174–175
as suspect, 176–177
trial of, 199
Falleti, Mimmo, 158, 197
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 63, 154, 249n29, 256n63
Fences, 297n214
jewelry, 35, 214
unknown, 213
Fiat, 23–24
Fichet, 10, 51, 53, 89
Finotto, Ferdinando, 57, 92, 213
arrest of, 209
attempted bank robbery, 36–37
casing Antwerp Diamond Center, 37
conviction of, 204
description of, 149
evidence against, 184
fortune of, 234
in hiding, 110–111
as high-profile, 35–36
on infiltration crew, 115–117
loot kept by, 215–216
masking light sensor, 121
police photo, 173
in prison, 209
questioning, 183–184
release of, 231
on supply run, 111–112
as suspect, 149
trial of in absentia, 199
Floordambos forest, 141–145, 183, 184, 186, 189, 192, 201, 300n220
Fontanella, Aniello (“Nello”), 35, 57, 81, 85, 223
keys and, 35
wiretapping, 181
“Forbidden territory,” 72
Garage doors, 20, 99
concierges opening, 82–83
D’Onorio testing, 107–108
Leonardo Notarbartolo reconnaissance, 82–83
Garbutt, Jo-Ann, 222, 282n158
Gold, xiii
coins, 125–126
jewelry, 28, 125–127
smelting, 213–214, 297n214
Gotti, John, 8
Government bonds, 131
Graphite, 66–67
Grote Markt, 14
Grünberger, Marcel, 42–43, 54, 150, 162–163, 220
as Antwerp Diamond Center owner, 5
knowing vault combination, 119
safe doors and, 91
Gunrunners, 63
Hannibal, 23
Hasselt prison, 206, 217, 221
“Heist of the century,” 153, 194, 220, 231
Highland bandits of Central India, 113
Hollywood Reporter, 213
HRD. See Diamond High Council (HRD)
IDH Diamonds, 48, 54–55, 126
Il pizzo, 25
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 65
International Criminal Court, 63
Interpol, 63, 152
Italian gangs, 114
Italian Job, The, 84
Jewelry designers, 8, 56–57, 73–74, 217
Juventus FC, 24, 27, 80
Kamiel, 44–45, 161–163
KBC bank, 149
Kidnapping, 59–60
Kimberlite, 67, 259n67
Knightsbridge Safe Deposit Centre diamond heist, 39, 58, 242, 245
Kortleven, Patrick, 204, 292n199
Kuklinski, Richard (“The Iceman”), 8
Lambeaux, Jef, 14
Lens Building, 17
Liddy, G. Gordon, 78
Light sensors, xiv, 5, 121
defeating, 96
masking, 121, 138
setting off, 88
workings of, 95
LIPS vault door, 4–5, 20, 40, 43, 51, 86, 91
auto scramble, 120
School of Turin opening, 120–121
Lock pickers, 20, 43
Lookout, 115–116, 122
Loot
diamonds, 214–215
D’Onorio keeping, 215–216
estimated value, 212–213, 247n2
Finotto keeping, 215–216
Leonardo Notarbartolo keeping, 215–216
as lost, 233
School of Turin dividing, 152–153, 213
School of Turin sorting, 125–126
victims recovering, 210–212, 296n212
Mafia, 22, 24, 192
“Magic Moment,” 181
Martens jewelry, 181
Martino, Marco, 93, 151
patience of, 22
as police Mobile Squadron director, 21, 25, 153
Max Diamonds, 36
Mazel und broche, 48
Meeus, Peter, 103, 110
Milan, 152–153
Mining. See Diamond mining
Mob, 24–25, 32
Money laundering, 63, 158, 213
Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank, 92
Motion detectors, xiv, 5, 181
analyzing, 93–95
bypassing, 20
calibrating, 29
filming, 40–41
legal requirements, 52
masking, 92–93, 96, 109–110, 122, 127, 138, 271n109
setting off, 88
studying, 34–35
technology, 93–95
Muci, Monica, 37, 205
Napoleon, 23, 81
Nassour, Aziz, 65
Notarbartolo, Francesco, 155–156
Notarbartolo, Leonardo
Antonino Falleti as friend, 182–183, 188–189
Antwerp apartment, 9–10
arrogance of, 26–27
badge of, 105
bail for, 195–196
becoming operational, 5–6
booking of, 177–178
Boost stalling, 163–165
casing Antwerp Diamond Center, 1, 60
as charming, 1–2
confidence of, 8, 55
conviction of, 204, 206
counting closed-circuit television cameras, 17–18
in den of thieves, 113–114
diamonds confiscated, 232–233
evidence against, 180, 185
expertise, 77
filming Antwerp Diamond Center, 39–41, 95
final preparations by, 110, 112–113
first crimes, 26–27
as forgettable, 9–10
fortune of, 234
garage door reconnaissance, 82–83
hang-outs, 32
home of, 56–57, 155–156
on infiltration crew, 115–116
inspecting vaults, 19–20, 40–41, 78–79
in isolation, 178
as jewelry designer, 8, 56–57, 217
as last person in vault, 79
late nights in Antwerp Diamond Center, 80
leaving Antwerp, 133
loot kept by, 215–216
love of food, 56
as “the Man of Gold,” 192, 197
observation powers, 98
office hours, 18
off-the-books business, 32
Peys accusing, 174
Peys questioning, 171–173
in police custody, 169–170
police run-ins, 31
in prison, 207, 221
release of, 231
as renowned thief, 4, 20
as respected jeweler, 27
returning to crime scene, 156–158, 160–162
as ringleader, 202
robbery story, 222–229
on robbery watch list, 30
as scapegoat, 201–202, 230
in School of Turin, 35
setting diamond heist in motion, 1–3
as suspect, 149–151, 154–155, 167
in tight spot, 163–165
trial of, 199–201
vault key and, 96–98
Vidal on, 165
Notarbartolo, Marco, 155–156, 180, 197, 286n180
Nuyts, Leen, 179
; Ocean’s Eleven, 84, 104, 115, 218, 223, 229–230
Off-the-books business, 32
Oliver, Denice, 202, 230
at crime scene, 136
as insurance inspector, 52–55
relating robbery story, 62–63
triage operation by, 140
vault combination and, 119
Onyx, 74
Opals, 74
Oppenheimer, Ernest, 70
Oppenheimer, Nicky, 70
Organized crime, 22, 24, 63. See also Mafia; Mob
Osailly, Samih, 65
Paramount Pictures, 231
Passive infrared technology (PIR), 93–94
Pearls, xiii, 125–126, 211–212
Personal Chiavi, 35, 57, 85, 181
Peys, Patrick, 132, 146, 149, 184, 204, 207, 216, 230. See also Diamond detectives
accusing Leonardo Notarbartolo, 174
at crime scene, xiv–xv, 138
as diamond-crime investigator, xiii, 123
expertise, 77
on inside cooperation for robbery, 220–221
investigations by, 63–64
issuing thank you, 220
as mystery detective, 64
on police protocol, 162
questioning Leonardo Notarbartolo, 171–173
on robbery story, 227–228
surveying robbery scene, xiv–xv
television interview, 194
as underappreciated, 64, 66
Piazza Statuto, 26
Plompteux, Jacques, 43, 44, 79, 117, 135, 137, 220
apartment of, 103, 124
knowing vault combination, 119
Poletto, Lodovico, 135, 200–201
Police. See also Diamond detectives
in ADA, 59
Antonino Falleti in custody, 169–170
assisting diamantaires, 64–65
Crudo in custody, 169–170
diamond detectives working with local, 163
Finotto photo, 173
Leonardo Notarbartolo in custody, 169–170
Leonardo Notarbartolo run-ins, 31
Martino as Mobile Squadron director, 21, 25, 153
organized crime squad, 63
Peys on protocol, 162
questioning De Vos, 140–141
rounding up School of Turin, 180–181
Zwiep in custody, 169–170
Poliseri, Giovanni (“John the Tunisian”), 35, 181, 223
Preceptive document, 30
Primetime Live, 193–194, 203
Prison of Antwerp, 177–179
Profile Business Service Limited of London, 232
Proximus Diamond Games, 103, 110, 143
Pulling device, 123–124
Al Qaeda, 63–65
Raking, 100
Rhodes, Cecil, 68–70
Ribeauville vault door, 89
Robbery. See also Diamond heists; “Heist of the century”
Boost as victim, 126
of bourses, 61–63
De Sousa discovering, 135–136
Finotto attempting, 36–37
Leonardo Notarbartolo on watch list, 30
Oliver relating story, 62–63
Peys surveying scene of, xiv–xv
unresolved questions, 220–221
Vidal as victim, 126, 137
Robbery trash, 142–146, 192, 201
Robinson, Mark, 230, 305n230
Rolex watches, xiii, 28, 73, 125, 212
Rough diamonds, 102, 265n71, 266n74, 212, 159
certificates, 159
dealers, 74
exporting, 214, 298n214
production, 70–71
shaping, 66
transactions, 2, 55
Rubens, Peter Paul, 14
Rubies, xiii, 28, 74, 126, 132, 212
SADA. See Secure Antwerp Diamond Area (SADA)
Safecrackers, 20, 85, 86–87
Safe deposit boxes, 89–90, 101
De Vos replacing doors, 150
School of Turin emptying, 124–129
Sapphires, 28, 74, 132
Sargent & Greenleaf, 10, 89
Scelza, Pasquale, 181, 287n181
Schadler, Jay, 193
School of Turin
assuredness over Antwerp Diamond Center, 45–46
coining, 32
dividing loot, 152–153, 213
emptying safe deposit boxes, 124–129
entering vault, 118–119
Leonardo Notarbartolo as member, 35
lock specialists, 43
luck turning against, 145
members, 35, 92–93, 108–109
as men of honor, 133
methods, 32–33, 59–60
moving to Antwerp, 101–102
no violence code, 57
opening LIPS vault door, 120–121
perfecting locks, 100
plotting meetings, 57
police rounding up, 180–181
reputation of, 34–35
resting, 111
setting heist date, 103
SIM card used by, 114
sorting loot, 125–126
Tavano as member, 182–183
technology and, 119
time window for, 84
victims of, 126–127
Score, The, 84
Secure Antwerp Diamond Area (SADA), xiv, 11, 52–53
Securilink, 84, 87, 98, 106-107
Security
in Antwerp Diamond Center, xii–xiv, 4, 6, 37, 161
among bourses, 51
bubble in ADA, 12
Diamond Square Mile, 7
failure of human, 121
Seko, Mobutu Sésé, 152
Sellers, Peter, 63
September 11 terrorist attacks, 65, 217
Sherman Antitrust Act, 70
Shroud of Turin, 27
Sierra Leone, 64
Sightholders, 71, 74, 265–266n71
Sights, 71, 74, 127
SIM card, 57, 153
as evidence, 175, 182, 184, 189
School of Turin using, 114
Smuggling, 63
Société Générale bank diamond heist, 58–59
Soldiers of fortune, 63
South Africa, 68–71
Spaggiari, Albert, 58–60
Spies, 63
Spurgo, Giovanni, 35, 181
“Stamp,” 19
La Stampa, 154, 192, 200
De Standaard, 188
Stock certificates, 131
Surowicz, Simon, 193–194, 222
Swayze, Patrick, 64
Syndicate, 70
Tann, 10, 51, 89
Tanzanite, 74
Tavano, Pietro, 35, 57, 122, 229
arrest of, 209
conviction of, 204
as driver, 115–116, 272n115
fortune of, 234
in prison, 209
release of, 231
as School of Turin member, 182–183
trial of in absentia, 199
Tax avoidance, 159
Theunis, Ben, 196–198
Thieves, 4, 20, 113–114. See also Burglars; Diamond heists; Robbery; School of Turin
Torino FC, 24, 80
Tourmaline, 74
Trana, 30, 56, 155–156
Tribunal de Première Instance, 188
Turin, 8–9. See also School of Turin
architecture, 21–22
cafés, 80
history of, 23
mystical nature, 25–26
as organized crime stronghold, 22, 24
Shroud of Turin, 27
Underdog Inc., 221–222
Van Camp, August (“Gust”), 201
discovering robbery trash, 141–146
seeking reward, 218–220
Vanderkelen, Gerry, 162–164, 168
Verhaeghe, Dirk, 208
Verwaest, Jean-Charles, 188
Viccei, Valerio, 39, 58
Vidal, Fay (“Madame Vidal”), 49, 54, 225–226
at crime scene, 139–140
&nb
sp; on Leonardo Notarbartolo, 165
recovering stolen items, 211
as robbery victim, 126, 137
Vrije Diamanthandel, 50–51
Washington Post, 64–65
Williams, Venus, 103, 143
Wired magazine, 222–230
World Federation of Diamond Bourses, 50, 212
Yellow canaries, 127, 275n127
Zwiep, Judith, 158, 166–167, 174
alibi of, 187
bail for, 189
in police custody, 169–170
prison detainment, 178–179
as suspect, 177
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Scott Andrew Selby is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School. He also has a master’s degree in Human Rights and Intellectual Property Law from Sweden’s Lund University, where he wrote his thesis on diamonds. He is licensed to practice law in California and New York.
Greg Campbell is an award-winning journalist and the author of Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World’s Most Precious Stones and The Road to Kosovo: A Balkan Diary. Blood Diamonds was used as the primary resource for the Academy Award-nominated film Blood Diamond. His work has appeared in the Economist, the Wall Street Journal Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He lives with his family in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Visit [http://www.FlawlessBook.com] www.FlawlessBook.com for more information about the Antwerp Diamond Heist, photos from research trips to key locations in Belgium and Italy, news updates about the case, and more.