Carlos Lehder

Carlos Lehder is a German-Colombian drug dealer with a net worth of $2.7 billion at one point. Carlos Lehder rose to prominence as the man behind a vast cocaine trafficking network based on his own private island in the Bahamas. He was one of history's wealthiest drug traffickers.

Lehder began his criminal career in the United States and Canada by selling marijuana and stolen autos, but he was quickly apprehended. He made the most of his time in prison by interacting with other convicts and learning as much as he could about the international drug trade. He eventually devised a scheme to transport cocaine across borders using tiny planes. He also became close to fellow convict George Jung, a marijuana dealer who knew how to fly planes and transport narcotics in this manner.

Following their release, Lehder and Jung utilized drug mules to raise enough money to purchase an airplane. They began their meticulously planned smuggling of cocaine into the United States via the Bahamas after hiring a competent pilot. Soon after, it became evident that Lehder had far more ambitious aspirations than Jung, and the two parted ways. While Jung became a small-time, independent smuggler for Pablo Escobar, Lehder acquired Norman's Cay, a private island in the Bahamas. Despite the fact that he initially only acquired a portion of the island's territory, he utilized intimidation and threats to compel all prior occupants to depart. Lehder then acquired the entire island for around $4.5 million.

Net worth in 2020: $2.8 Billion