A Romanian national named Stefan Alexandru Barabas, along with his accomplices, recently pleaded guilty to a disturbing home invasion incident that took place in Connecticut. The group broke into a mansion in South Kent, bound and blindfolded the victims, and injected them with a substance claiming it was a deadly virus. They demanded $8.5 million for an antidote and threatened to leave the victims to die if they did not comply.
The victims, Anne Bass and Julian Lethbridge, were held hostage for hours and repeatedly asked to come up with the ransom amount. Despite their efforts, the intruders eventually drugged them with sleeping pills and fled the scene. The home belonged to Anne Bass, an investor and art collector, while one of the perpetrators, Emanuel Nicolescu, was her former butler.
The criminals were eventually connected to the crime through various pieces of evidence, including a partial license plate found at the scene and DNA samples recovered from the abandoned vehicle. It was later revealed that the group had meticulously planned the home invasion, acquiring weapons and radios for the crime. Despite fleeing the country, all the perpetrators were eventually tracked down and brought to justice.
Stefan Alexandru Barabas, the main culprit, was a fugitive until his arrest in Hungary in 2022. His accomplices received varying prison sentences for their involvement in the crime. Barabas, who recently pleaded guilty to additional charges, is awaiting sentencing in September.
This disturbing incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of home invasions and extortion schemes. It highlights the importance of thorough investigations and international cooperation in bringing criminals to justice. The victims in this case were fortunate to survive the ordeal, and the perpetrators have been held accountable for their actions.