Cautionary Tale
Why is Al Capone Only Worth $1.5B?
Made $100 million a year during Prohibition — roughly $1.5 billion in today's money. The government couldn't get him for murder, racketeering, or bootlegging. They got him for not paying taxes on it.
The Key Reasons
Al Capone's criminal empire in 1920s Chicago generated an estimated $100 million per year — roughly $1.5 billion in today's money.
At age 26, Capone was one of the wealthiest people in America.
He paid for it with an 11-year prison sentence and syphilis-induced dementia.
Capone was convicted of tax evasion in 1931 and sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
Capone's actual net worth at the time of his conviction was likely $50-100 million.
Read the full breakdown — with revenue sources, comparisons, and the complete analysis
Al Capone Full Breakdown →