NetflixGuy Ritchie’s new Netflix documentary, The Diamond Heist, centers around an audacious plot to infiltrate the Millennium Dome and steal a £350 million diamond haul, all of which was spearheaded by career criminal Ray Betson.
Betson approached fellow robber Lee Wenham in 2000 with his larger-than-life plan: smash their way through the newly-built Millennium Dome, head straight to the De Beers jewel exhibition, and get away with the collection – including the 203-carat Millennium Star diamond.
If the gang had been successful, it would’ve gone down as the biggest heist in history. But as is revealed in the Netflix docu-series, the police were one step ahead. As well as speaking with the law enforcement involved, The Diamond Heist includes Wenham’s side of the story.
The loveable rogue shares his experiences in detail for the first time, providing insight into the true crime tale that sounds like it was ripped right out of a gangster movie. But one person who doesn’t appear is Betson.
Where is Ray Betson now?
NetflixEven though Betson did get arrested on robbery charges again, it appears he’s now using his experiences for good. In 2024, he appeared for a talk at London’s AP Foundation – a charity specializing in the rehabilitation of ex-offenders – to help a group of young people classified as “hard to reach.”
Sharing a series of photos from the event on Instagram, the organization wrote, “AP Foundation held a series of Q&A workshops where well-known reformed ex-offenders such as Ray Betson (Millennium Dome robber) came to the AP Foundation Hub to speak to groups of young people classified as hard to reach.”
The aim was also to “help peer mentors gain a better understanding of the criminal justice system from a lived experience point of view.”
In January 2023, the AP Foundation reported that Betson attended a charity boxing event held by the non-profit, showing his development since being released from prison.
Ray Betson was arrested again
NetflixIt took another learning curve before Betson turned his life around. In 2012, just months after serving time for the Millennium Dome heist, he was arrested for another botched robbery.
This time, Betson and a number of other men, who were never identified, broke into a Loomis cash depot in Kent, attempting to get away with more than a million pounds.
They used a stolen digger to enter the building, only to discover they’d smashed in the wrong wall. They also had to abandon their getaway vehicle as it got stuck in the mud.
Only Betson was arrested as police found his DNA on an abandoned balaclava. In 2014, he was sentenced to 13 years, half in custody and half on license. This means he would’ve served around six to seven years behind bars.
As of 2025, The Diamond Heist mastermind is no longer in prison. And by the looks of his work with the AP Foundation, he’s now more focused on using his experiences to help others.
The Diamond Heist is streaming on Netflix now. Check out the other new true crime docs dropping this month, read about where Con Mum is now, and find out how to watch To Dye For.