Is Rami Farhan based on a real robber? Where is He today?

Netflix’s ‘The Helicopter Heist’ dives into the true story of a daring 2009 theft undertaken by a group of robbers from Stockholm, Sweden. The show layers the complex nature of the real robbery through the eyes of those involved, blending an intimate drama with a thriller narrative. At the center of the story is Rami Farhan, a family man in financial difficulty, whose desperation leads him to take part in the heist, even though it costs him personally. Although the series brings everything together through numerous perspectives, Rami’s life and affairs take precedence in a narrative full of emotions and intrigue. As such, his point of view brings to light the main themes of the show, either through an examination of the fatherhood and family or the inevitable nature of a criminal lifestyle.

Rami Farhan’s real-life inspiration

While “The Helicopter Heist” is based on Jonas Bonnier’s semi-fictional novel of the same name, inspired by the Västberga helicopter heist, large parts of the story resemble the real-life events that took place in the case. However, certain names have been changed and stories have been devised that may differ from how things played out. Rami Farhan’s character fits into that boat, as Bonnier created him as a clear stand-in for Safa Kadhum, the Iraqi robber who was involved in the G4S building heist. His fictional counterpart turns out to be a desperate family man who has turned to murder as a way to escape his crippling debt situation. The story also highlights the difficulties he faces as an ethnic minority in Scandinavian society, which helps build a sense of empathy for his situation.

In reality, Kadhum excelled at robbery, being caught in a few heists before the big one that made him infamous in Swedish history. Kadhum was allegedly one of the main participants in the Västberga cash depository robbery on 23 September 2009, which involved the daring use of a helicopter as a means of breaking in and out of the facility. He and others were later arrested following an investigation that led to his arrest and eight-year prison sentence on aggravated robbery charges. As depicted in the series, Kadhum’s DNA was found in the facility through traces of blood left behind from an injury he sustained during the robbery. It was one of the main factors that contributed to his downfall.

One inconsistency that appears in the show is Kadhum’s reasons for leaving the country. The narrative presents it as a precautionary move to evade the authorities, especially after learning that he may have left some blood at the scene. His real reasons for leaving the country may have had more to do with his pregnant girlfriend at the time, whom he did not want to involve in his affairs. He traveled to the Dominican Republic as a precautionary measure to prevent her from finding any reason to end their relationship, which had previously hit rocky patches during his life. Parts of this find their way into the show’s complicated family drama angle. Kadhum was arrested in a small resort in January 2010 and sentenced to prison a few months later in October.

Safa Kadhum keeps a low profile today

After receiving her verdict, Safa Kadhum served her eight-year sentence without much fanfare. As stated in the show’s final scribble detailing the fate of each robber, Kadhum never gave up the identities of his heist accomplices. In the series, this information appears as a sign of his loyalty to his brothers in arms. However, in reality, he is said to have been concerned that giving up the names of the others involved would lead to serious repercussions for his family and children. It is noteworthy that Kadhum’s testimony claimed that he was forced to take part in the robbery because of a debt he owed to his creditors, who offered him the chance to pay off his debts by participating in the crime.

Today, he is likely to be a free man, having served the full length of his prison sentence, give or take any other problems that may have arisen in the intervening period. While Jonas Bonnier was researching his novel, Safa Kadhum gave him a detailed description of his story through numerous interviews. The book, which was published in 2017, covers the story of Kadhum in a partially fictional format told through his counterpart, Rami Farhan. It is hard to know what Kadhum is up to today as he has adopted a low profile meant to protect his privacy. Having brought himself into the limelight through the Västberga heist, he probably prefers a life of anonymity and may have retired to a domestic existence with his girlfriend and children in Stockholm, Sweden.