Let’s make a definitive list of former criminals who have turned thier lives around and made money legitimately (or at least, technically legally).
Although my main point of interest is really in small-time crooks (little bit of larceny here and there – arson, petty theft, got into a brawl, DUI etc.), I guess you can include the big stuff too.
Try to bear in mind, I’m not talking of folks who “reformed” thier character(s) or whatever, just former crims who later made a lot of money legally.
For example, you could list Jack Unterweger as one. He killed a string of women in (I think it was the 70’s in Germany/Austria), however after leaving prison published written works and was quite successful (financially, as well as critically acclaimed). He didn’t actually really change his spots though, as his later crime spree showed.
Other examples (preferably less extreme), of this?
– Irony was when someone I know pointed out the Vice Prez Cheney was convicted twice of DUI, and shot someone in the face. In light of the numerous arguments it could generate, let’s just move on. –
50 Cent and Jay-Z are very open about having been crack dealers before they were big rap stars. Snoop Dogg is/was a Rollin’ 20’s Crip and was convicted for cocaine trafficking. All three are enviably wealthy and successful, esp. Jay-Z, who is now president and CEO of Def Jam and Roc-a-fella Records.
Not that anyone cares, but my brother is a convicted felon. He got nailed for grand theft auto and could have gotten nailed for much more. He was a thief, druggie for years.
He is now the proud father of 3, supports his stay at home wife and is rehabbing an old house. BTW, two of the 3 are his wifes from a previous marriage and their father is a classic deadbeat, for no other reason than he’s a deadbeat.
His shoulders are now so broad that an entire family can look to him for support, help, advice and anything else. My mother recently moved in with him, he does many repairs for my Grandmother and when my life was in the shits, he was right there for me.
He hasn’t made millions, but damn, I am so very proud of him. He shouldn’t be alive and yet…he is one of the most alive people I know.
Does Henry Hill count? He got away with his crimes and entered the Witness Protection Program, got glorified in a book and two movies, appeared on Nightline and elsewhere, wrote a good cook book and other books on “the life” (I assume he profited from some of this).
Of course, he got divorced, got arrested for other crimes later, and he really hit some rough spots, living on the street, according to Wikipedia. But he seemed to have a pretty decent living for a while. “I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook” indeed!
Tyson was a crook and a thug who became a success in boxing who then got back into thuggery and criminal mischef as soon as he hit a bump in the boxing road. He’s thrown all his money away and is paying his bills by banking on his notoriety.
I, too, came in here to mention Abagnale, who has carved out a most remarkable post-criminal career using the same smarts and charm and innate likeability that made him such a successful con artist.
Kevin Mitnick, famed computer cracker and social engineer, now owns a security consulting company and is a semi-regular author and speaker on computer security.
