The Robber of the Century thief who signs autographs, has famous fans and wants to get into Big Brother VIP

Luis Mario Vitette Sellanes, would you go to Big Brother Spain?

The confinement would not affect him, but being distanced from his wife and young son. He was a thief who studied in the underworld, but was transformed – almost unexpectedly – to avoid going back to jail, start a family, retire from crime and reintegrate into society. But although he denies it, the thief of the century of the Rio bank robbery, Luis Mario Sellanes, jeweler, ex-criminal, is a little seduced by the possibility of entering the house of Big Brother Famous. He believes that he would contribute to the rating, to entertainment (he is a specialist in telling true stories of crime) and assures:

-I autonomously ‘look’ how the situation is outside the house. To gain momentum. That’s where you realize how you’re doing. Although I’m not a hero, I was a thief and I regret it. But many admire me. And others hate me. And I understand them. Stealing is not an art, but I stole to be, not to have.

As Infobae learned, the key piece of the gang that on January 13, 2006 stole some 19 million dollars from the Río de Acassuso bank, was surveyed (strictly speaking, his representative and someone close to him) to see if he is interested in be part of Big Brother Vip, the Spanish version of Big Brother Famous.

Every time Vitette is more and more famous, as well as loved and hated. In the photo, in the documentary Los Ladrones: The true story of the robbery of the century. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
Every time Vitette is more and more famous, as well as loved and hated. In the photo, in the documentary Los Ladrones: The true story of the robbery of the century. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Infobae failed to have the Spanish version of the program.

But two weeks ago, it transpired in Spain that Mediaset had ordered the Zeppelin production team to be mobilized to return with a new edition of the famous house, which was always broadcast on Telecinco. It was going to return in 2021, but a very serious event -the rape of a participant, detected by the cameras, and the contradictory reaction of the program- led to the edition with celebrities being postponed. In addition to Vitette (who became known in Spain for the Netflix documentary, for the interviews he gave to Spanish media -including El País- and because the film The theft of the century shows it interpreted by Francella, respected in that country), it is said that another one who could be in the house is the double of Lionel Messi.

Also, The Money Heist -which according to Vitette and other members of the assault (considered one of the most important in the world by a Nat Geo documentary) is “inspired” by the robbery of the century- came to the assailants achieving a controversial empathy among viewers.

According to Vitette, the Spanish series La casa de papel is inspired by the robbery of the century
According to Vitette, the Spanish series La casa de papel is inspired by the robbery of the century

“I’m not ruling anything out. Neither Big Brother nor other offers that circulate. But I don’t handle it. And it will have to be a lot of money for me to be far away and not see my family. I would like it to be in Argentina, but I think they are not going to make a Famous Big Brother, “said the retired thief.

However, as he achieved his release and returned to San José, his hometown, in Uruguay, Vitette was “banished” from Argentina, he cannot return except for an extreme case that is not very specified.

Vitette is a celebrity in Argentina. Andrés Calamaro -living legend of rock and popular music both in Argentina and Spain- posed with his book, the bestseller the thief of the centurysoon to be adapted for film, the actor Mariano Martínez traveled to meet him and with the idea of ​​producing a movie about the robbery, Guillermo Francella did not hesitate to take on the role of the Uruguayan, chatted with him and even managed to make the character have more prominence in the movie The theft of the centuryseen by more than three and a half million people.

Vitette does not rule out participating in Big Brother or other offers that circulate. It all depends on how much they pay you to be away, without seeing your family
Vitette does not rule out participating in Big Brother or other offers that circulate. It all depends on how much they pay you to be away, without seeing your family

In addition, the former thief acted in the video clip of the song cassidy of the band Hiroshima Dandys, wrote songs for the group The troubadours of Venus, from the hand of Sergio Zajdenberg, when he appears and is braided in television debates, the rating goes up and he has admirers who ask him for autographs or videos, which he – as he boasts – would never charge. His myth led the renowned Campi to imitate him in Danger Uncoded. Even Mirtha Legrand spoke of “Marito”, as his former robbery companions call him, she referred to the possibility of having been the victim of a jewelry robbery in her house, a fact that is usually attributed to the “thief of the century ”.

It is something strange. A phenomenon that should be analyzed by sociologists. But There was not, nor will there be, a thief who has generated so much in society, beyond his detractors because, as he says, he is not a hero, but a villain.

On Twitter he has 32,800 followers and on Instagram 17 thousand. It is defined as “Bad Influencer”. Once he was interviewed in a zoom by Peter Lanzani and Lorenzo Toto Ferro, both notable actors of El Ángel, inspired by the serial killer Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch, and in that talk he managed to make the two artists not only laugh, but also empathize with the occurrences and stories of the thief of the century.

The tennis player, world champion of Roland Garros, Gastón Gaudio, also met him by zoom. A glory of the TC and Turismo Carretera, which Vitette prefers not to name, he called it. He crossed paths with Negro Rubén Rada on a Uruguayan stage and Víctor Hugo Morales praised him in the prologue of the thief of the century. Fernando Samalea, historical drummer for Chaly García and musician in Gustavo Cerati’s last recitals, also traveled to meet him. “There are more celebrities that came to meet me, but I can’t name”, plays the Vitette mystery.

The former escruchante, jewelery and bank robber, now defines himself as a family man, jeweler, watchmaker and expert in social networks and writer.

Vitette also became famous in Spain because in the movie The Robbery of the Century his character was played by Guillermo Francella, who is highly respected in that country.
Vitette also became famous in Spain because in the movie The Robbery of the Century his character was played by Guillermo Francella, who is highly respected in that country.

Although he admits that he had more of an ego before, he feels that he no longer needs as much prominence. He managed to be the most famous Argentine thief in history. He claims to have given more than 150 interviews. He lists CNN in Spanish, Society magazine from Paris, El País from Spain, the Russian chain Sputnik, a magazine from the United States in which we all appear, among other media. “Even China called me,” he says.

Other anecdotes: there are photos of fans who tattooed Vitette’s face or a photo in which he appears dressed in the gray suit, which was never auctioned although he received proposals for that to happen.

His story also occupied ten pages in the Spanish magazine Fiat Lux in Spain, the one with the largest circulation, and six in the American magazine GQ

“That’s why in Big Brother Spain they knew me. I am not only known in Latin America. Oh, another one that I came to know is Diego Peretti, the multiple Rally champion, the TC champion and Atilio Veronelli wanted to do a play based on my story. Not long ago, an Argentine trap band that settled in Rome released a song in which they named me. Nothing apologetic”, says Vitette, who enjoys his wife Elicette, who excels in studies, and his son Luccianito, who plays soccer and goes to the same school as his father.

It may interest you: The tweet of the thief of the century: “I came out of this cover rich and free and ended up poor for a creeper and imprisoned for two informers”

“Mario has established jurisprudence. For example, with the request for alienation for foreigners convicted of a crime. Or for the use of toy weapons, which does not constitute the crime of qualified robbery. I have defended criminals who admire him for his criminal career, but more for his reintegration into society. He is a gentleman and a great person and I had the privilege of meeting him,” said attorney Gastón Otero.

He doesn’t change anything about his destiny after the robbery, but he misses some things about Buenos Aires. He cannot return, beyond the fact that many lawyers have offered him to initiate arrangements for him to come for personal reasons (his retirement) or cultural reasons (presentation of the book and talk about how to return to society without committing crimes), but that is more of a plan to future and not Vitette’s, who will probably end up signing autographs and posing for photos after his hypothetical return to Buenos Aires.

In Uruguay they ask him for favors, photos, autographs, they listen to his stories and a man pretended to be him to take advantage. Until he was offered to go into politicsbut he rejected it.

In Uruguay they offered him to enter politics, but he did not accept
In Uruguay they offered him to enter politics, but he did not accept

A week ago, a man admitted to the Dr. Paroissien Interzonal General Acute Hospital, in Isidro Casanova, knows that he has only a few days to live. After his son made him watch the documentary on the robbery of the century from his cell phone, he revealed to her: -Vitette is my idol, I never told you. But if I were to live again, I would want to be a thief like he was.

The son contacted Infobae and asked if the “thief of the century”, the negotiator of the gang who practiced theater to develop his role for which he dressed up and defeated a frontline negotiator, four snipers and more than 300 policemen around the block, he could send a voice message to his father, who is now dying.

And the face and singing voice of the gang of the robbery of the century, more than a voice message, sent him a video in which he gives him strength. The man wept with emotion. Beyond that, in the images he saw on his cell phone, the so-called “Man in the gray suit”, because that’s how he entered the bank, in addition to a fake mustache and yarmulke, clarifies: “Dear friend, I am no longer a thief. I do not want to defend the crime. I wish I was admired because I was able to reinsert myself into society and form a beautiful family. Stealing is past. A buried past.

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The Robber of the Century thief who signs autographs, has famous fans and wants to get into Big Brother VIP