The committal proceedings were conducted at Horseferry Road Magistrates ' Court and lasted three months . The trial itself was held at the Old Bailey crown court and lasted another three months . All the evidence was then examined again . The defence was funded by legal aid . The cost of police work and preparation for the trial was in excess of £ 2 million , one of the most expensive prosecutions in British legal history at the time . The frauds themselves left behind a wide trail of debts , bankruptcies and legal costs across many countries . Nine gang members were convicted and the others were released or convicted of other crimes . The investigation covered multiple countries including America , Switzerland , West Germany , Saudi Arabia and Spain . Judge Gerald Hines stated that the swindle was of " immense gravity " comparable with the recent Great Train Robbery and international espionage . The judge condemned Oberlander for hiding the stolen money in places where it could not be traced . It was clear that Oberlander had targeted American banks , scamming £ 60 million , before switching to Europe in the mid 1970s
Great Train Robbery
Great Train Robbery (1963)
Henry Oberlander