Benedict Arnold
1. Benedict Arnold
Arnold was initially one of the better U.S. generals during the Revolutionary War and is largely responsible for the American victory at Saratoga. But when he was relegated to command of an American fort at West Point, New York, he felt slighted. Therefore, in 1780, he contacted a British spy and made plans to betray the fort to the British. When his treachery was discovered by American forces, Arnold fled to British lines. He fought as a British general for the rest of the war.
2. Bernie Madoff
Madoff was like Ponzi on steroids. Madoff’s ponzi scheme involved selling securities to high profile investors, including numerous celebrities, and paying them supposed dividends from other investors’ money. In Madoff’s case, the fraud amounted to billions of dollars. He was finally turned in by his own sons after he revealed his scheme to them. In 2009, he was convicted of 11 felony counts and sentenced to 150 years in prison.
