Crime Does Pay: How Criminals Make Their Money and How Much They Make Derrick - Financial Buzz
go to original December 18, 2014

We are all told growing up that “crime doesn’t pay”, but it turns out that may not be true. Crime pays, and it pays a lot. Though cybercrime has made recent headlines, it’s the old fashioned crimes, like drug trafficking, human trafficking and extortion, that net crime organizations the most money. According to Forbes, Americans had a total annual loss of $20 billion due to identity theft, but that includes the costs of prevention and recovery efforts, not just ill-gotten gains. Meanwhile, cocaine sales alone in the US account for $34 billion annually.

Forbes also came out with the top 5 earning criminal organizations in the world. Topping the list was the Yamaguchi Gumi, the largest faction of the yakuza, which holds about 45% of the yakuza’s total membership (an estimated 87,000 members). The Yamaguchi Gumi alone, generate $80 billion a year in revenue, mostly from drug trafficking and then followed by gambling, extortion and “dispute resolution”. They also dabble in human trafficking, the sex industry, real estate, construction kickbacks, stock market manipulation, and internet porn.

The second top earners are the Solntsevskaya Bratva, a group in the Russian mafia made up of 10 autonomous brigades which run independently of each other but share resources. The total membership is estimated at 9,000 and make the majority of their $8.5 billion in revenue on drug and human trafficking.

The Camorra crime family comes in at third place with $4.9 billion in revenue. This Italian-American mafia family makes its money through sex exploitation, firearms trade, drugs, counterfeiting and gambling. Another Italian group, the  ‘Ndrangheta, come in a close fourth place with $4.5 billion in revenue. They control much of the transatlantic drug trade with ties to many South American druglords.

Pulling up the rear is the Sinaloa Cartel of Mexico. They pull in $3 billion a year, serving mostly as middlemen between South American producers and American buyers. An estimated $6.5 billion a year is sent to Mexico in drug money, and the Sinaloa Cartel holds about a 60% market share.

Being part of a big crime syndicate is not the only way you can profit from illegal activities. For those with the right connections and the testicular fortitude, there are many options to choose from.

Read the rest at Financial Buzz

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