Illegal Jobs That Pay Extremely Well

#1 Drug Lord

Sure, you may have to get your hands dirty through some low-level jobs on the way up, but once you've committed to a life of crime, you probably already had some idea of what you were getting yourself into. Though the exact amounts made by each of these illegal professions is highly inaccurate, it remains that there is a ton of money to be made doing illegal activities.

A drug lord is not going to be seen sitting down to do a menial job working hard to make a living. Instead, they are crime bosses with an elaborate syndicate of highly paid workers who do their dirty work for them, selling and distributing illegal drugs while collecting a fortune. Famous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar reportedly spends $2,500 every month just for rubber bands which he uses to warp his endless stacks of cash.

#2 Hacking

Hacking is normally associated with the many thousands of saboteurs who illegally gain access to one's computer and reap the benefits of the credit card information stored within. However, it's a bigger business than that. Savvy hackers have graduated, and while we still have low-level hackers trying to steal our personal data, the hacking industry is much deeper than that.

#3 Big Business

Hacking in today's world is more often associated with large groups of technical geniuses who compromise big businesses and steal millions in cash and information. For instance, in 2008, hackers within the Russian mob managed to steal over $10 million in funds from ATM machines all over the world bu cloning victims debit and credit cards then raising the cash limits. They were able to withdraw massive sums without drawing attention the scheme for many months.

#4 Co Artists

There are a number of resources that a con artist has at their disposal to milk money from unsuspecting wealthy victims or even a down and out hourly worker. The game is played daily on many different levels thought the world to obtain illegal money from those who may never know the truth behind their failure to know they were duped. A Ponzi scheme, like that used by swindler Bernie Madoff to gather over $65 million out of investors, is a common con game and used most often.

#5 The Confidence Man

Creative cons have always found unique ways to cheat and swindle unsuspecting victims out of their hard-earned cash. In fact, the term 'con artist' originated from Herman Melville's 1857 novel, "The Confidence Man" which chronicles a manipulative young man who cheated his way around NYC. Con men have been around so long that they were popular at the turn of the last century when travelling salesmen would go from town to town in a buggy selling fake products they claimed would cure just about anything. These cons were known as snake-oil salesmen.

#6 Embezzlement

Rather than pulling off one grand heist, or several, and embezzler chooses to take their time and take in small incremental sums over a long period of time. Security and investigation firm Marquet International identifies the typical embezzler as a 40 something female in a nondescript, low-level job within a large company. In contrast to most thieves, she feels no compulsive need to reap the benefits and run and normally steals her fortune over a very long period of time.

#7 Illegal Wildlife Trade

In recent months public outrage has diminished the wildlife trade but it is still happening in unheard of numbers. Last year dentist Walter Palmer sparked controvery for hunting and killing an endangered caged lion. But all the talking hasn't prevented endangered commodities like elephant tusks and ivory's from being hotly coveted and sought after on the black market. Many countries are now blocking the illegal trade of such commodities and of wild animals, such as alligators, parrots, and assorted rare reptiles. The black market for wildlife is estimated to earn over $10 billion a year for those involved in the killing and trade, leaving many endangered animals dead or at risk.

#8 Weapons Trafficking

Weapons trade knows no boundaries, as every country uses weaponry to defend themselves. Unfortunately, there are a slew of unethical weapons dealers who are selling and trading heavy artillery for loads of money each year. Sometimes these fall into the hands of terrorists, rebels, crazed loners, and gang members.

#9 One Hundred Billion Dollar A Year Industry For Each Trafficker

Some of the convicted weapons traders include Viktor Bout, Leonid Minin, and Sarkis Songhanalian. These criminals are profited off the realization that guns, ammo and weaponry mean big business all around the globe. It is estimated that the illegal weapons market earns well over $100 billion every year for each trafficker, and the worst offenders come from Mexico, USA, Russia, and South America.

#10 Pimping

In 2014, a group known as The Urban Institute released a report on the pimping and prostitution industry in America. The results were mind-boggling. The report released startling statistics, showing that the average pimp in major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and New York can earn anywhere from $5,000 a week to over $50,000 a week for higher level organizations. An Atlanta pimp was averaging $38,000 a week while a low-level street pimp in Kansas City was earning a measly five grand weekly.

#11 Ticket Scalping

With online sites like Stub Hub, anyone with extra tickets can now make extra money by selling tickets online. One would think this would have cut down on the illegal scalping practices by street scalpers but it hasn't. The illegal industry continues to thrive even with competition from onliners. Scalpers have used this to their benefit by using special apps that buy out concert seats as soon as they go on sale, then collect the tickets and sell them for a profit for hot events. For the right event, a single scalper can come home with thousands of dollars in profits from selling tickets to unsuspecting event goers.

#12 Counterfeiting

The crime of counterfeiting is estimated to reap some $250 billion dollars annually for expert money makers. The industry is so widespread that one counterfeiter may make hundreds of thousands US dollars and then use the same machinery to create Yen or Euros with. Counterfeiting has a very strong presence in China, Russia, India, and Japan. Of course, given its strength as a globally recognized currency, the US dollar is the most widely forged in the world.