It’s been said that crime does not pay and that cheaters never prosper. Neither of these statements is true and you should not be dissuaded from a life of theft by such homilies. History is replete with examples of people who have done very well for themselves by stealing from others. Vast personal fortunes have been amassed using illegal, ahem, business practices. Call them “robber barons” or aggressive capitalists, many were criminals. Furthermore, since financial crimes involving the greatest sums of money are rarely reported (for reasons we’ll get to later) crime pays far better than historical accounts would suggest.
|