A new heist-drama recently premiered on Amazon Prime Video. It follows the biggest heist of the century that happened in 2003 at the World Diamond Center in Antwerp.
The mastermind of the heist was Leonardo Notarbartolo (aka Leo) who took two years to plan the break-in.
Though he was arrested on multiple occasions, the loot was never recovered in real life.
However, that’s not the case with Everybody Loves Diamonds, a fictionalized version of the heist.
Since the narrative of the show focuses on two timelines – before and after the heist – I have decided to focus on the latter part.
What happened before the heist is somewhat predictable and doesn’t need explaining.
This blog is filled with spoilers and starts from the point when Lovegrove offers Mertens a deal.
In several places, I have included answers to the queries viewers might have.
Here we go.
Everybody Loves Diamonds Full Ending Explained
Lovegrove, the cunning lawyer, makes a bold move, visiting Inspector Mertens’ office with an audiotape containing Leo’s shocking confession to the diamond heist.
Leo’s voice resonates through the room as he admits that his team sold the stolen gems to the eminent diamond trader, Pradeep Kumar, a respected figure in the Jain community.
Lovegrove, however, isn’t offering this crucial piece of evidence for free.
He seeks immunity for Leo in exchange for the tape, leaving Mertens with a monumental decision, but a tight deadline of 24 hours to make it.
Little does Lovegrove know that Mertens is no rookie when it comes to cracking cases.
Thanks to Simon, his ever-reliable informant, and the relentless investigation of Pradeep Kumar’s financial trail by his astute associate detective, he’s already aware of the diamond trader’s involvement.
Given that he has the culprits in his sights, the idea of granting Leo immunity doesn’t sit well with him, personally or professionally.
Mertens decides to play his cards shrewdly – he opts for a different approach that of recovering the stolen diamonds directly from Pradeep Kumar.
With his resolve strengthened, Mertens assembles his entire police force to launch an extensive raid on Pradeep Kumar’s opulent villa in Wilrijk and his thriving business in the Diamond district.
Detectives swarm his residence, apprehending him while he’s engrossed in a religious gathering.
They meticulously seize his electronic devices, financial records, documents, and various other items from both his office and home.
Pradeep’s arrest sends shockwaves across the Indian diaspora, especially among the Jain community, where he is considered a philanthropist and elder statesman.
As Mertens questions him about the evidence, Pradeep maintains a stoic silence.
Oddly, forensic experts find no trace of the stolen diamonds from the World Diamond Center in Pradeep’s possessions.
Despite this, Mertens remains resolute in his quest to recover the precious gems, holding unwavering faith in the concrete proof he possesses.
Simultaneously, a twist in the plot unfolds as Simon is seen talking on the phone, instructing someone to eliminate the evidence of fake wire transfers.
Elsewhere, Anna, armed with evidence discreetly obtained from Alberto, confronts Ghigo, demanding a revised division of the loot, insisting it be split into three parts instead of two.
Initially resistant, Ghigo succumbs to the pressure when he views the incriminating snapshots. After consulting with Sandra, they ultimately agree to allocate a share for Anna.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Dowell has a peculiar conversation with Lovegrove over the phone, commending his skills as a lawyer, leaving the lawyer baffled by Dowell’s actions.
Furtmeier, the forensic expert, delivers his final verdict to Mertens, indicating that the diamonds procured from Pradeep Kumar are legitimate.
It causes a momentary setback in their quest to recover the stolen jewels.
Alberto intercepts a phone call between Ghigo and Sandra, in which they discuss dividing the looted diamonds stashed in Antwerp.
He immediately contacts Leo, who instructs him to shadow their every move.
As Pradeep’s arrest ignites protests and discontent within the Jain community, Mertens faces mounting pressure from his superiors.
Judge Eams, in particular, remains unsatisfied, with the Jain community’s threat to leave Antwerp, potentially triggering an economic disaster.
Mertens is forced to tender his resignation to his superiors, leaving Pradeep Kumar free from the clutches of jail.
Simultaneously, Leo’s path to freedom emerges, as the substantial evidence needed for his conviction proves elusive.
On his way out, Fagare’s men apprehend him demanding the money he owes them. Lovegrove pays for him since Leo is now his property.
An infuriated Mertens races to Simon’s residence to confront him about the information he had provided earlier.
To his dismay, Simon’s house is deserted, with nothing but a letter and an ankle bracelet left behind.
He thanks him for clearing his name from the records and finally freeing him of his life as a thief.
Mertens could do nothing but cry over his foolishness.
As Lovegrove escorts Leo from the jail, the true client behind the scenes is unveiled in a shocking twist.
It is revealed that Lovegrove was working on the instructions of Simon.
That’s why he screwed Mertens so that Leo comes out and he gets the diamonds from him. Simon also says that he was the original planner of the heist (we don’t know how).
When Leo attempts to outsmart them, Lovegrove reveals his ace in the hole – a pen that secretly recorded Leo’s confession while in custody.
He warns Leo to cooperate if he wishes to maintain his newfound freedom.
In a desperate move, Leo contacts Alberto, who informs him of Anna, Ghigo, and Sandra’s location at a nearby hotel.
What was the Perfect Plan?
In the car with Lovegrove and Simon, Leo reveals their perfect plan for the robbery at the World Diamond Center.
On Leo’s insistence, Sandra had developed a special safe, which could only be opened by her. They stole the diamonds, put them into the safe, and then stored them inside the WDC’s deposit box number 103.
It means that the diamonds never left the premises of WDC. How?
Their ingenious plan hinged on the WDC’s strict privacy policy. Without the owner’s consent, no one, not even law enforcement, could legally access any of the deposit boxes.
To exploit this loophole, Leo concocted a fictitious character named Ezra Cohen, who registered as the owner of box number 103.
They disguised Ghigo as Ezra Cohen, meaning he was the legal owner of the box.
Alberto remains hot on their trail, observing their movements as they leave the hotel.
While en route, Lovegrove, Leo, and Simon are abruptly intercepted by Malcolm Dowell’s men.
They apprehend Leo without any resistance from the other two passengers, raising questions about their potential involvement in this turn of events.
At Dowell’s den, we see Leo being tied to a chair and tortured consistently. Malcolm asks him about the diamonds and, after a long resistance, he finally opens up on one condition.
Leo wants assurance that Anna will not be harmed while extracting the diamonds.
Ghigo, disguised as Ezra Cohen, goes inside the World Diamond Center and gets hold of the safe.
On his way back to their car outside the building, Malcolm’s men seize him along with Sandra and Anna and bring them to his place.
The gang finally comes face to face for the first time since the heist. Even Alberto joins them with the help of the tracker he had installed on their phones.
The pivotal moment arrives as Sandra proceeds to open the safe, leaving everyone in breathless anticipation.
However, what they encounter is nothing short of a horrifying shock – the box is empty, devoid of any trace of the stolen diamonds.
Malcolm, stricken by despair, demands answers about the diamonds’ whereabouts.
Sandra and Ghigo quickly point accusatory fingers at Leo, casting suspicion on his involvement.
Leo, however, defends himself by highlighting that only Sandra possessed the knowledge and ability to unlock the safe deposit box.
He asserts that, given their betrayal, it’s entirely plausible that Sandra and Ghigo might have disposed of the diamonds while he languished in jail.
After some contemplation, Malcolm instructs Leo, Anna, and Alberto to leave while detaining Sandra and Ghigo under his custody.
Leo follows Anna, attempting to justify his actions and persuade her that his relationship with Judith was part of their grand plan.
But Anna, overwhelmed by emotion, is unreceptive to his apologies. She makes it clear that had the diamonds been present, she might have forgiven the betrayal and continued their married life.
It’s at this critical juncture that Leo unveils a game-changing revelation – he is the one who knows the diamonds’ true location.
How Did Leo Get the Diamonds in Everybody Loves Diamonds?
Leo had sensed something amiss when he noticed the peculiar behavior of Ghigo and Sandra.
He went to Levi and asked for his safety box telling him about his suspicions.
Then, at the time of the robbery, Leo carefully emptied the safety box created by Sandra and put the diamonds inside Levi’s box, which was just next to box number 103.
After telling Anna everything, the couple, along with Alberto, reach the diamond center to complete the last ritual.
He entrusts Anna with the responsibility to give Levi his share and bring the rest of the diamonds outside.
She readily agrees and goes in with Levi.
However, as time ticks by, only Levi emerges from the building, offering Leo a reassuring thumbs-up before disappearing.
Leo, who had been dreaming of living a happy life, senses something wrong. He calls Anna but she doesn’t pick up.
Thereafter, he runs to the backdoor and finds her driving away in a car. It takes him no time to realize that Anna has played him on the pretext of love.
Leo runs behind her car, screaming helplessly, but to no avail. He cannot match the speed of the automobile.
So, if you are wondering who gets the diamonds in Everybody Loves Diamonds, the answer is Anna Notarbartolo.
The final scene suggests that Malcolm, with his men trailing Anna, may ultimately succeed in retrieving the precious jewels, leaving the fate of the diamonds hanging in suspense.