The Central Bank of Iraq robbery

The Central Bank of Iraq robbery became the largest bank heist in history. Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq, was the mastermind. Qusay Hussein arrived at the Central Bank of Iraq in Baghdad with a handwritten note from his father, ordering that $1 billion in US dollars be withdrawn and released from the country's coffers. The transfer of funds was overseen by three trucks and a number of Iraqi regime officials, including Qusay.

According to some legal experts, despite the large sum of money, the forced withdrawal may not have been illegal. Saddam Hussein was an absolute dictator who wielded personal and direct control over all aspects of the country's governance, including the central bank and other economic institutions. The $1 billion could even be Saddam Hussein's personal funds amassed over more than two decades of rule in Iraq.

Initially, American intelligence officials suspected Hussein of attempting to transport the spoils of his reign across the border in order to avoid the American invasion. A team of US Army Special Forces near the Iraq-Syria border reported seeing trucks matching the description crossing the border to flee. Others predicted that Hussein would use the funds to foment resistance within Iraq as American troops advanced across the country. That assessment was shared by many Iraqis. The funds could also have been used to fund the flight of those closest to Iraq's dictator, such as his family and personal friends.

In the days and weeks that followed, Coalition forces recovered an estimated $650 million from the central bank. They discovered the caches of funds through searches and patrols throughout the country, which led them to the money, which was stashed away in one of Saddam Hussein's other son Uday's palaces. The majority of the money was recovered in the subsequent raids, but the story doesn't end there. American soldiers who were tasked with counting the illicit loot made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves and their families. Thirty-five service members were apprehended.

Stolen: Over $920 million