A Romanian barman who was cleared over a £25m raid on Tamara Ecclestone’s mansion despite being caught with her stolen handbag is now facing jail for having £1million in counterfeit cash.
Emile-Bogdan Savastru (aged 30) was detained at Heathrow after he took the Louis Vuitton bag during the ‘Burglary of the Century’ event at the model’s ‘Billionaire’s Row’ house.
He also owned Frank Lampard’s Tag Heuer smartwatch, which was stolen by an Eastern European criminal gang during a raid at the footballer’s house.
Before he headed to London for his flight to Japan, Savastru concealed the fake cash in the home of Gergo Munzenrieder, his friend.
Money was both in Euros and Sterling. It was also packed so that no word for ‘facsimile was visible at first glance.
A novelty gun was also found by police that could be loaded with bank notes and used to pay his buddies with money.
Emile-Bogdan Savastru (aged 30) was detained at Heathrow after he took the Louis Vuitton bag during the Burglary of the Century’ at the model’s home at ‘Billionaire’s Row.
During their search, they found a bag with hundreds of what appeared to be £50 and 200 euro notes stuffed in large cases
The Bank of England examined the notes, and they confirmed that the bank was phony. Officers shared the note with Bank of England.
Adam Kane (Savastru’s Barrister) said the gun was very popular as an accessory at Japanese strip clubs, where Savastru had just returned home from holiday.
Kane explained that Mr Kane had a red-colored spray gun. It was filled with money and used for firing off. You will find these kinds of things in Tokyo’s strip club.
Savastru (of Wyllen Close and Stepney) did not explain the counterfeit notes in his interview with police but was convicted after a trial at Isleworth Crown Court of being in possession or control of counterfeit notes.
He had been previously jailed for 6 months for handling the watch and bag, but was freed after almost one year.
Savastru is set to be tried for falsifying money.
Along with his mother, sex worker Maria Mester, 47, her, security worker Sorin Marcovici, 53, and Alexandru Stan, 49, he was cleared by a jury of being part of the support team to burglars who netted at least £26m in jewellery and cash in December last year.
The group landed at the homes of Ecclestone and Lampard, as well as late Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabh’s house which was kept in a state of mourning by his family.
The Ecclestone raiders were able get in to a safe ‘vault’ and took a whole jewellery cabinet worth 450 items.
Jurors were told by Savastru that he believed the bag and watch he had stolen were tokens of appreciation left to him by the burglars.
He claimed that he googled “London burglaries” a week later to find out more about the source of his watch and Louis Vuitton bag.
Also, he told jurors that he had found gems in the Louis Vuitton bags when he shaken them upside down. But a jeweller laughed when he tried selling them.
Judge Martin Edmunds said to him when he received his sentence: “It’s clear that you inratiated yourself with the men, assuming it would benefit your or your mom’s advantage and expecting reward. They have all the resources they need.
Raiders managed to get into a secure ‘vault’ in the home of Tamara Ecclestone (pictured with Jay Rutland) and emptied an entire jewellery cabinet of 450 items
The £25m raid on the property (pictured) has since been dubbed the burglary of the century
“In your evidence, you stated that you found jewels in the watch’s box when it first arrived. It would not be possible to ignore the evidence you gave about finding them in the bag’s lining.
‘The property in this charge was a stolen Louis Vuitton bag, some nine years old, and a stolen Tag Heuer watch with an original retail price in the region of £1,500 and they came from two of the burglaries to which I have referred.
‘The total value at new retail prices would be some £2,500. These burglaries are not glamorous, no matter how wealthy or well-known the homeowners may be.
“Invasion of someone’s house, where they have the right to feel safe, secure and protected is a serious crime.
We will all recognize the pain that comes from losing items of sentimental and historical value collected through the years, marking important moments in our lives.
“The untimely demise of Srivaddhanaprabha was followed by the burglary at his home.
His family kept it intact, so their sorrow at its destruction can only be compounded.
“With these burglaries, the crimes were compounded with the damage done by ransacking.”
The Milan-raised Romanian spoke in English and said that he believed the Louis Vuitton bags contained gems. He also sent a picture to a friend via Facebook.
He explained that it was located in the shoulder seams, so there wasn’t any real area to store diamonds.
“I searched in my bag for crystals and didn’t find any. So I decided to go home.
He made a prepared statement following his arrest at Heathrow on January 30, and said that he didn’t know anything because he was kept from the truth.
Christine and Frank Lampard were robbed of around £50,000 worth of valuables from their home
The raid took place on the Knightsbridge house of Mr Srivaddhanaprabha (pictured), in Walton Place, December 10. More than a year ago, he died in a helicopter crash after playing Leicester City. The raid was more than an inch away from his home.
‘I’ve been kept in the dark, just breadcrumbs, £50 quid here and there, you know?’
He laughed when he was told he would be paid money.
“You have seen my financial position, please don’t laugh at me.”
Savstru later admitted that he had received some money for helping the burglars.
He was cleared of attempted money laundering for trying to buy £8,985 cash at Harrods on two Louis Vuitton leather jackets with one of the alleged burglars on 14 December.
He used his card to rent Fulham Flat for 14 Days on 16 Dec., during which time all the burglars stayed.
Savastru said that although the card was his, the booking was done by an alleged burglar.
He was also cleared of money laundering for purchasing £3,000 luxury goods at Harrods with his mother and the sister of one of the alleged burglars on 17 December.
Savastru (30), was cleared of conspiracy burgle. He was convicted of trying to take criminal property. Savastru was sentenced to six-months imprisonment.
Andrew Payne (detective constable) was the lead in the investigation into bogus money. He stated: “Our proactive operation has allowed us to remove a substantial quantity of counterfeit bills from circulation. These counterfeit notes were used, without doubt, to further commit crimes in the UK.
“This case was won by the Bank of England and Met, which made it clear that Savastru was guilty of these crimes.
“Counterfeit currency” in the UK is a serious problem for the economy. It can also have a significant effect on the businesses that are able to take it without knowing. This prosecution shows that we are ready to take legal action against those involved in this kind of criminality.