That would be the worst response. For the justice system they are now low-profile, minor white-collar thieves, it's all just a bunch of paperwork and bribes, with a bit of lawyering they probably won't even do time. Once they start absconding, they become fugitives and show up on all the wrong radars. Offenses start piling up automatically, and unless they manage to run to Santo Domingo (which would involve more felonies), they will be caught and sent away for years, not months.

It did backfire for the guy who is hiding. The others got their sentences reduced in the first appeal but since he wasn't present for the appeal, his original sentence stands. So he'll basically either have to stay away from any country with an extradition treaty with Sweden for many, many years, or spend a year in Swedish prison (plus, I'm sure, additional time/fines for running).

"they will be caught"

That's debatable. Not that I'd want them to run, but getting caught is in no way a certain thing.

If you play russian roulette with four friends, it is in no way a certain thing that someone will lose, but given the odds and the stakes, it's best to assume it as a near-certainty.

The difference with Russian roulette is, of course, that your skills/wits make no to very little difference. When trying to avoid the authorities, it does (or at least I'd like to think so). But, like I said, I would not encourage those people to run, my point was more along the lines of "now, now, chaps, let's not get overly dramatic". ;)

Not that I agree with the sentence, but becoming a fugitive is not necessarily a great strategy. These guys are human after all, they probably don't want to live their life hiding underground, never being allowed to travel, always looking over their shoulder.

It seems romantic in spy books, but I doubt the reality is very satisfying way to live your life.