Prosecutors Reveal That Notorious Crime Boss Ionel Baluta Has Only Returned £1 of Stolen Billions from Cashpoint Scams Despite Lavish Lifestyle in Sweden

Tom Kelly and Dominik Lemanski reported that prosecutors have revealed a shocking detail about Ionel Baluta, a crime boss infamous for stealing billions from cashpoint users. As of August 2, 2024, it’s been disclosed that Baluta has only repaid a mere £1 of the massive fortune he illicitly acquired.

Initially, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told the Mail that it couldn’t disclose how much Baluta was ordered to pay back, citing it would be “unfair” to him.

Despite this, Baluta seems to be living quite comfortably.

After serving his prison sentence for leading a gang known for its massive bank heists, he’s now enjoying a luxurious lifestyle.

Baluta’s gang, based in Essex and dubbed the “world’s biggest bank robbers,” managed to siphon about £3 million using stolen debit and credit card details.

These details were gathered using “skimming” devices attached to ATMs, ticket machines, and self-service petrol pumps. The gang’s reach extended globally, selling thousands of these devices to other criminal organizations, leading to billions in illicit earnings that funded terrorists, human traffickers, and arms dealers.

Although Baluta personally amassed £1.3 million, he was initially ordered to return only £1—an amount covered by an associate while Baluta was behind bars—as most of the money had already been transferred abroad.

Now residing in Sweden, Baluta, who has had numerous similar convictions across Europe, has been flaunting his affluence.

On social media, he’s been seen enjoying champagne, relaxing in a hot tub with his new wife, vacationing in five-star hotels, and dining at upscale restaurants. Former associates claim that Baluta is likely using stolen funds to sustain this opulent lifestyle.

Despite requests from the Mail under the Freedom of Information Act to reveal the total recovered funds, the CPS initially rejected the request, claiming that public disclosure would be unfair.

The Legal Battle and Public Reactions

Baluta was sentenced in December 2016 to six years and eight months in prison for offenses related to fraud and creating skimming devices. The judge at Blackfriars Crown Court expressed his horror at the sophisticated nature of Baluta’s criminal activities.

After his release in September 2018, Baluta moved to Colombia, where he was reportedly arrested in August 2020 for alleged credit card cloning.

Former Tory MP Nigel Mills criticized the CPS’s handling of the situation, calling it “outrageous.”

He argued that the lack of transparency undermines the deterrent effect of the Proceeds of Crime Act and suggested that the CPS’s decision to withhold information was an attempt to cover up its failure to recover the stolen funds.

Acknowledgment of Error

The CPS has since admitted to the Mail that their initial decision to withhold information was an error. They confirmed that only £1 was reclaimed from Baluta, a sum that has been paid in full.

The CPS spokesperson acknowledged the mistake and assured that steps would be taken to improve transparency in the future.