The Richest Con Artists Of The 21st Century, Ranked | TheRichest
The 21st century has seen its fair share of con artists who have managed to amass significant wealth through their cunning schemes and manipulative tactics. These individuals have exploited the trust of others, using their charm and intelligence to deceive and defraud unsuspecting victims. The first known con artists can be traced back in history as far as back to the 17th century, and they continue to thrive in the 21st century too.
While the actions of the con artist are undoubtedly reprehensible, there is no denying the fascinating allure of these modern-day swindlers who have managed to make a fortune through their criminal endeavors.
8 Anna Sorokin - $60 Million
Anna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, is a Russian-born con artist who posed as a wealthy heiress to defraud New York City's elite. Sorokin fabricated her identity and financial background, convincing banks, hotels, and socialites to lend her money and provide her with lavish accommodations. She accumulated a massive $60 Million net worth in the process. In 2019, Sorokin was convicted of grand larceny and theft of services and was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison.
7 Martin Shkreli - $70 Million
Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, gained notoriety in 2015 when he raised the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill overnight. Shkreli was later convicted of securities fraud in 2017 for defrauding investors in his hedge funds and manipulating the stock price of his biotechnology company, Retrophin. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and ordered to forfeit $7.4 million in assets, as per USA Today. His net worth peaked at $70 Million before his arrest.
6 Carlos Ghosn - $120 Million
Carlos Ghosn, the former CEO of Nissan and Renault, was arrested in Japan in 2018 on charges of financial misconduct, including underreporting his income and misusing company funds. Ghosn, who maintains his innocence, staged a daring escape from Japan in 2019 and is currently living in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan.
5 Jho Low - $150 Million
Jho Low, a Malaysian financier, is the alleged mastermind behind the 1Malaysia Development Berhad or 1MDB scandal, one of the largest financial frauds in history. Low is accused of siphoning billions of dollars from the Malaysian state investment fund, using the stolen money to finance a lavish lifestyle and make high-profile investments, including producing the Hollywood film The Wolf of Wall Street. Low remains on the run and is believed to be hiding in China.
4 Bernie Madoff - $1.5 Billion
Bernard ‘Bernie’ Madoff is perhaps the most infamous con artist of the 21st century. As the mastermind behind the largest Ponzi scheme in history, Madoff defrauded thousands of investors out of an estimated $64.8 billion, as per Fansided. His investment firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, attracted clients with the promise of consistently high returns. However, these returns were not generated through legitimate investments but were instead paid out using the principal investments of new clients. Madoff's scheme eventually collapsed in 2008, and he was sentenced to 150 years in prison in 2009.
3 Allen Stanford - $2.2 Billion
Allen Stanford, a former billionaire financier, was convicted in 2012 for orchestrating a $7 billion Ponzi scheme through his company, Stanford Financial Group. Stanford lured investors with the promise of high returns on certificates of deposit or CDs issued by his offshore bank, Stanford International Bank. However, these returns were not generated through legitimate investments but were instead paid out using the principal investments of new clients. Stanford was sentenced to 110 years in prison for his crimes, and his net worth peaked shy of a staggering $2.2 Billion before his arrest, as per CNBC.
2 Elizabeth Holmes - $4.5 Billion
Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and former CEO of the now-defunct health technology company Theranos, was once hailed as the youngest self-made female billionaire. However, her fortune was built on a web of lies and deceit. Holmes claimed that her company's blood-testing device, the Edison, could run hundreds of tests using just a few drops of blood. The device was unreliable and inaccurate, and Theranos was forced to void thousands of test results. Holmes was charged with multiple counts of fraud in 2018 and was finally sentenced to 11 years in prison in November 2022, as per Entrepreneur.
1 Eike Batista - $34.5 Billion
Eike Batista, once Brazil's richest man, was convicted of insider trading and market manipulation in 2018. Batista's wealth was built on his vast holdings in the oil, mining, and logistics industries. However, his empire began to crumble when it was revealed that he had used insider information to sell shares in his oil company, OGX before it declared bankruptcy. Batista was sentenced to 30 years in prison but is currently serving his sentence under house arrest. Eike’s net worth clocked around a staggering $34.5 Billion during the peak of his success.
The stories of these eight con artists serve as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the dangers of greed and the lengths some individuals will go to in pursuit of wealth and power. While their actions have made them a fortune worth Billions of dollars, they have caused immense harm to their victims and society.
Sources - USA Today, Entrepreneur, CNBC, Fansided
from TheRichest - Feed https://ift.tt/K7h9vck
Post a Comment