Some of the world ’s biggest bank robberies have involved not just organised criminals, but wars, political instability and highly coordinated insider operations, with losses ranging from tens of millions to nearly $1 billion.

According to records documented by Guinness World Records and financial reporting archives, including World Finance, the largest known bank robbery in history remains the 2003 theft from the Central Bank of Iraq, where more than $920 million was stolen in the chaotic days surrounding the Iraq War.

Iraq Heist Remains the Largest on Record

The Central Bank of Iraq robbery unfolded shortly before the United States-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

According to reports widely cited by Guinness World Records, Saddam Hussein allegedly sent his son Qusay Hussein to withdraw approximately $920 million in cash from the central bank using handwritten notes shortly before coalition forces entered Baghdad.

Much of the money was later recovered by U.S. troops hidden inside palace walls, although large sums remain unaccounted for.

The robbery continues to be regarded as the largest bank theft ever recorded.

Dar es Salaam Heist Shocked East Africa

Among the largest modern commercial bank robberies was the Dar es Salaam Bank heist in Iraq, estimated at roughly $282 million.

The case highlighted growing concerns over corruption, weak institutional oversight and the vulnerability of financial systems in conflict-affected regions.

Financial crime experts say some of the largest robberies in history succeeded not through sophisticated hacking, but through insider access and political instability.

Britain’s Most Famous Vault Robberies

Several of the world’s most notorious heists took place in the United Kingdom.

The 1987 Knightsbridge Security Deposit robbery in London saw Italian criminal Valerio Viccei and accomplices steal an estimated $97 million worth of cash, jewellery and valuables after gaining access to safety deposit vaults by posing as customers.

Meanwhile, the 2006 Securitas depot robbery in Kent became Britain’s largest cash theft, with armed criminals stealing approximately £53 million, equivalent to around $83 million at the time. Many of those involved were later arrested, though part of the money was never recovered.

Brazil’s Underground Bank Burglary

In Brazil, the 2005 Banco Central burglary became famous for the method used rather than sheer violence.

A criminal gang spent months digging a tunnel beneath the city of Fortaleza before stealing roughly $71.6 million from the Central Bank of Brazil.

Authorities later described the operation as one of the most technically elaborate bank robberies ever conducted.

Northern Ireland’s Political Shadow

The 2004 Northern Bank robbery in Belfast resulted in the theft of around £26.5 million, equivalent to roughly $41 million at the time.

The robbery drew international attention amid allegations of involvement by paramilitary groups linked to the Irish republican movement, claims that were politically sensitive during Northern Ireland’s peace process.

The latest example came in 2026, when Polish YouTube collective ŁatwoGang reportedly raised an extraordinary $68.9 million in just nine days , setting a new benchmark for creator-led fundraising events.

The figure eclipses previous records set by France’s ZEvent, one of Europe’s most successful charity streaming marathons, and reflects the growing influence of digital creators in mobilising global audiences.

French livestream charity event ZEvent has become one of the most recognised fundraising initiatives in the online creator economy.

Founded by French streamers Adrien “ZeratoR” Nougaret and Alexandre “Dach” Dachary, the event brings together dozens of creators annually to raise money for humanitarian and environmental causes.

According to organisers and reporting from BBC News , the 2021 edition raised more than €10 million for Action Against Hunger, becoming one of the largest charity streaming campaigns ever recorded at the time. Subsequent editions continued to grow rapidly, with the 2025 event reportedly generating nearly $19 million within three days.

The event’s success has highlighted the power of livestream communities to convert audience engagement directly into donations at unprecedented speed.

In the United States, creators have also begun testing the limits of online fundraising.

A 2025 livestream collaboration involving YouTube creator MrBeast and streamer Adin Ross reportedly generated approximately $12 million in just 18 hours, demonstrating how major internet personalities can attract audiences comparable to large broadcast events.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is widely recognised for blending philanthropy with entertainment content and has built one of the world ’s largest YouTube audiences, with hundreds of millions of subscribers across platforms, according to Forbes.

Platforms such as Twitch, YouTube and Kick are increasingly functioning as large-scale fundraising infrastructure rather than simply entertainment services.

Data from Streams Charts shows charity livestreams consistently rank among the highest-engagement online events globally, often attracting millions of cumulative viewing hours and international participation.

Industry analysts say the format succeeds because livestreaming combines entertainment, direct audience interaction and real-time donation tracking, creating a sense of collective participation difficult to replicate through traditional fundraising methods.

Charity streaming first gained traction through gaming communities in the late 2010s, but has since expanded far beyond esports audiences.

One of the earliest large-scale examples came from Twitch streamer DrLupo, who raised nearly $900,000 in 24 hours in 2019 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Over five years, his fundraising efforts surpassed $10 million, according to campaign records and Twitch reporting.

Since then, creator-led charity events have broadened to include music, politics, lifestyle content and global humanitarian campaigns.

The transformation is particularly significant given the country’s earlier environmental decline. During the second half of the 20th century, rapid agricultural expansion, logging and cattle farming caused extensive forest loss across Costa Rica. By the 1980s, large areas of tropical forest had disappeared, threatening biodiversity, water systems and wildlife habitats.

Instead of continuing down that path, successive governments gradually reoriented the economy around conservation, renewable energy and sustainable tourism.

One of the country’s most internationally praised policies was the creation of a Payment for Ecosystem Services programme in the 1990s. The initiative financially rewarded landowners for protecting forests, restoring ecosystems and preserving watersheds rather than clearing land for agriculture. Funding was partly derived from taxes on fossil fuels, linking environmental protection directly to polluting activities.

Costa Rica also invested heavily in protected natural areas. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), roughly a quarter of the country’s territory is now protected through national parks, wildlife reserves and conservation zones, one of the highest proportions in the world.

Although Costa Rica occupies only a tiny fraction of Earth’s landmass, scientists estimate it contains around 5% of the world ’s known species. The country’s rainforests, cloud forests, coastlines and volcanic ecosystems attract millions of tourists annually.

Tourism has become central to Costa Rica’s environmental model. Ecotourism now generates billions of dollars for the economy and provides incentives for conservation by turning biodiversity into a long-term economic asset rather than a resource for extraction.

Costa Rica has also become a global leader in renewable electricity. In recent years, nearly all of the country’s electricity has come from renewable sources, including hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, wind, and solar power, according to the International Energy Agency and Costa Rican energy authorities.

Rather than waiting to become wealthy before investing in environmental protection, Costa Rica expanded its conservation policies while its economy and population were still growing, challenging the idea that sustainability and development must happen separately.

The country’s international reputation has been strengthened further by long-term political stability and public investment in social services. After abolishing its military in 1948, Costa Rica redirected resources toward education, healthcare and public institutions, decisions many analysts believe contributed to stronger environmental governance decades later.

Challenges

Still, Costa Rica faces growing pressures from climate change, urban expansion and rising tourism demand. OECD's environmental performance review for 2023 warned about increasing strain on water systems, coastal ecosystems and infrastructure as visitor numbers continue rising.

Critics also note that while electricity generation is largely renewable, transportation still depends heavily on fossil fuels, and the country remains vulnerable to global economic fluctuations linked to tourism.

Despite those challenges, Costa Rica continues to stand out internationally at a time when many countries struggle to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.

World Reframed  episode 40.

World Reframed is produced in London by Global South World, part of the Impactum Group. Its editors are Duncan Hooper and Ismail Akwei.

ISSN 2978-4891