I am Steven Kilian, born and raised in Utrecht, the city that shaped me. I look back on a carefree childhood in a disadvantaged neighborhood. I grew up surrounded by criminals in a world where the motto seemed to be: “Crime pays.”
My parents did everything they could to keep me out of trouble, sending me to expensive private schools. This led to a stable life as a top athlete—I became a three-time Dutch boxing champion—while also completing a university degree. I owned a house with a beautiful woman, sold millions of euros worth of real estate, and even co-founded a political party in Utrecht, winning two seats in the city council.
And yet, I felt unhappy. I felt like I was living just to work, missing the thrill, adventure, and danger of the streets. I longed for the “big success” my criminal friends already seemed to have found. They drove luxury cars, lived carefree lives, and I thought: That is freedom. Crime pays.
But life in the criminal world gave me anything but freedom. Instead, it landed me a ten-year prison sentence for leading a criminal organization involved in ATM bombings.
During my time behind bars, I lost almost everything: my relationship, my house, my job. After a year of living on the run, constantly under pressure, I suffered the ultimate blow—I lost the two most important people in my life. And as if that wasn’t enough, I nearly lost my own life as well.
On September 21, 2021, I survived a brutal attack. While in my cell, I was doused with boiling oil, suffering severe burns across my entire body. I spent years recovering in inhumane conditions, isolated and alone. No one inside the prison walls helped me.
That period was both the hardest and the most transformative time of my life. It forced me to see what truly matters. I made a vow to turn all my negative experiences into something positive—a never-ending source of strength for the rest of my life.
With my story, I hope to prevent others from making the same mistakes. I want to inspire and motivate people to never give up in the face of adversity but to keep fighting until their goals are reached.
My own goals are clear: After publishing my book, I plan to open my own gym, where I will dedicate myself to keeping vulnerable youth away from crime.
Because: Crime doesn’t pay.
