10. Boss Tweed
Boss Tweed was the New York’s corruption king. During the years of corruption, his associates established a network of corruption. This system later became known among people as the “Tweed Ring.” Even though he wasn’t a lawyer, Tweed opened a law office back in 1860, and he used it for receiving large payments for his ‘legal services’ from corporations. Shortly after he opened the office, he gathered an insane amount of illegal cash, and he used it to buy acres of Manhattan’s real estate. Since that wasn’t enough to spend his fortune, he started wearing large diamonds attached to his shirt. Eight years later, in 1868, Tweed was elected to the New York State Senate, and he officially started to drain the city. When the citizens of New York finally realized what he was doing to the city and their money, they began to support the efforts to oust him. In 1873, Tweed was convinced for forgery and larceny, but he was released two years later. However, shortly after his release, the New York State sued him in order to try and recover some of the money he embezzled, and he was arrested again.
