A woman pretending to be a gem expert to exchange diamonds worth £4.2m for the stones was ordered to return only £244.
Lulu Lakatos, 60, is serving a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being convicted of conspiracy to rob.
On the day of the crime, she walked into the famous Boodles jewelry store in London’s upscale Mayfair and told officials she had been sent to appraise seven diamonds on behalf of Russian buyers.
Lakatos, a native of Romania, was arrested after security cameras caught her making a sleight of hand as she managed to exchange a locked bag containing the original diamonds for a replica. In July last year, she was convicted of the crime.
It all happened in March 2016.
According to investigations, after changing bags, she left the store.
He then gave the gems to an unknown woman linked to an international criminal gang, who fled the UK to France within three hours.
The bag containing the stones was placed in the safe of the jewelry store and the crime was not discovered until the next day.
Real diamonds have not been recovered.
Now, a judge has ordered Lakatos to pay a fine said to be equal to his entire property.
At her trial, Lakatos’ only property was said to be £244 (1,700 Brazilian reais) that was found with her when she was arrested.
Judge Alexander Milne highlighted the “blatant contrast” between the value of the stolen diamonds and Lakatos’ heritage.
Since the money had already been confiscated, the judge set a standard one-day sentence and gave him one month to pay off the debt.
Lakatos must be extradited to France, where she resided.
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Oliver Ashford is a contributor to Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and accessibility, Oliver aims to present useful information and engaging stories in a straightforward manner, making complex topics easier for readers to understand and follow.