Whatever Happened To Nick Prugo From The Bling Ring?
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The masterminds behind Bling Ring are speaking out more than a decade later to share their side of the story. According to Crime Museum, Bling Ring was the name given to a group of teenagers back in 2008 who spent a year targeting high-profile celebrities by breaking into their Los Angeles homes and stealing thousands of dollars worth of money, expensive jewelry, designer clothing, and various other items. Burglars Rachel Lee, Nick Prugo, Alexis Neiers, Courtney Ames, and Diana Tamayo were all responsible for stealing from stars like Lindsay Lohan, Brian Austin Green, Audrina Patridge, and Orlando Bloom, to name a few, per The New York Times. The teenagers were reportedly close friends who managed to pull off the elaborate scheme by tracking celebrity websites to ensure their victims wouldn't be at home.
"It was like mission impossible," Prugo told Chris Cuomo during a sitdown interview with "Good Morning America" in 2010/ The former thief opened up about the group's first successful robbery, which took place at Paris Hilton's residence, and how doing so fueled the rest of their criminal activities. "I think that's what you know led to so many more it's because this first time we did this we found eight grand in cash," he added.
Although these criminals were able to run off with what added up being millions of dollars worth of property, Prugo and his pals weren't able to evade the law for too long.
Nick Prugo got caught and was forced to pay for his crimes
According to Esquire, Nick Prugo was the first person from Bling Ring to get nabbed by authorities. In September 2009, he was arrested, and after confessing to his crimes, the rest of the crew was picked up and charged. The outlet reported that Prugo was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading no contest to the robberies that took place at Audrina Patridge and Lindsey Lohan's residences. However, he only served one year. "It didn't seem as bad as it was," Prugo said during his 2010 interview with "Good Morning America." "Now that I look back I realize how serious it was and it just scares me to death thinking about what I did and what happened."
Vanity Fair journalist Nancy Jo Sales was intrigued by Prugo's bizarre story, which later inspired her to write the piece, "The Suspects Wore Louboutins." After her article took off, she then wrote the 2013 New York Times best-seller, "The Bling Ring: How a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World." According to the Daily Mail, Sales also played a vital role in helping director Sofia Coppola write the screenplay for the movie "The Bling Ring," which featured Emma Watson.
But, while it appeared as if Prugo was moving on from this notorious chapter in his life, he quickly found himself at the center of crime once again.
Nick Prugo finally learned his lesson
In 2015, TMZ reported that police arrested Nick Prugo for his involvement in allegedly attempting to hire someone to rape his friend, Dawn Daluise. Prugo and Edward Feinstein reportedly created an online flyer in search of men who were willing to show up at Daluise's residence and sexually assault her. After being charged with the three counts of stalking and solicitation to commit sexual assault, Prugo was ordered to complete 350 hours of community service and sentenced to three years of probation, per the New York Daily News.
Although Prugo landed at the center of national headlines for a second time, he has since changed for the better. In 2017, he and his longtime partner, Per Norgo, tied the knot and the two have been happily married for more than five years. "So thankful I get to wake up to the love of my life every single day," Prugo shared on Instagram.
Not only does he run a "home essentials and everyday gadgets" business called norgoessentials, but Prugo's also the star of Netflix's latest docuseries "The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist." Throughout its three episodes, Prugo recounts his version of the Bling Ring era and how it has affected his life forever.