10 Smartest Criminals of All Time
From diamond heists to prison escapes, these masterminds left their mark on criminal history! Join us as we count down our picks for the smartest criminals whose cunning schemes and strategic brilliance changed the game. Our list includes notorious figures who built empires, pulled off impossible heists, and some who eluded capture for decades! Our countdown features Leonardo Notarbartolo’s “heist of the century,” Al Capone’s criminal empire, Frank Abagnale’s legendary impersonations, D.B. Cooper’s perfect vanishing act, and Pablo Escobar’s rise to power. Which criminal mastermind impressed you the most with their intelligence? Let us know in the comments below!
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#CriminalMinds #Heist #PabloEscobar #ElChapo #FrankAbagnale #AlCapone #Unabomber #DBCooper #VictorLustig #CharlesPonzi #History
@WatchMojo
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Which criminal mastermind impressed you the most with their intelligence? Let us know in the comments below!
For more content like this, click here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmZTDWJGfRq3_7H92RABzFFpQRdcwquhb&si=zqzc5-SSQjD3HmFn
@JohnHassan
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Why aren’t any US presidents on this list ?
@Thatyoungbutterfly
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Smartest criminal would be the one that didn't get caught
@danielquick4993
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
The smartest criminals never get caught unless they want to be caught so they show they can't be caught.
@matsforsberg6287
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
CIA are the worlds most obvious criminals with the most horrific crimes. that never get caught
@matsforsberg6287
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
The ten smartest criminals are ten that u have no ideas of who they are and what they do. and DB Cooper
@THEINFINITEBLACKDYNAMITE
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Why isn't Ted Bundy, Meyer Lansky, Arnold Rothstein, & Nucky Johnson on the list?
@ROCKONplaceboforever
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
It's very impressive good list so interesting thanks WatchMojo 👏🏽 enjoyed it
@Natash45
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Chapo is why I think it’s hilarious they thought building a wall would keep Hispanics out of the country. Clearly no one did their research
@gcharger21
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
The Unabomber is a truly sad story. If you haven’t read about his time at Harvard, you should.
@tonytone4851
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Not just they were smart…they were bold.
@tresonna826
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Frank Matthews. Almost Got caught then disappeared before his hearing with millions. Never to be found
@Panwere36
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
There are a lot of people who claim Frank Abagnale (Jr.) embellished at best (outright lied some claim) but considering how he has totally changed how money and checks are both printed and processed now, it is better to assume those people have an axe to grind.
@MAKS-wz6lg
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
What about Moriarty?😂
@liamcoraant6949
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Frank Abagnale's supposed criminal brilliance is entirely fictional and Capone was widely considered a criminal moron, especially by fellow mobsters
@jameswallace8202
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
the smartest is the one that never got caught, isn't it obvious?
@johnforde4514
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Elizabeth Holmes ??? Theranos??
@TheWifeRottenRomance
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series explains this much better, but: you don’t learn how to be a good criminal by studying those who get caught. The best ones never get caught.
@MichaelJohnson-kw1dj
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
The Catch Me If You Can film is a good film. He was very clever
@Wilkshake
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
The smartest criminals are the ones we’ve never heard of
@isaacthealien8324
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Just redo this list the fact that vincent the chin gigante is not on here is just stupid do it over again
@AmoníeLove9160
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
What about bugsy and griselda
@shaunyd3
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Capone had syphillis and it went untreated. When he got out of prison and before he did the symptoms worsened and he became a moron, using an old term. but he basically was a shadow of his former self. he went fishing in his swimming pool and because of his uncontrollable outburts of rage, his family, friends and associates were terrified of his dwindling health
@aldotorres1983
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Most of these guys are not that smart since they were eventually caught.
The smartest criminals are the ones who made a few million under the radar, transitioned to legitimate businesses and lived the rest of their days in peace
@Ymh69969
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
You left out that Ted Kaczynski, was part of the experiment under CIA-funded MKUltra research and as a baby he was left unattended for while he cried and cried so yeah he was made an animal!
@JSalonsky
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
The ‘catch me if you can’ guy is not worth showing, it’s already been proven he greatly exaggerated most of it
@jarredmumphrey
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Sooo how bout the NFL Season opener. Go Eagles
@Superluckyhappytime
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Frank Abigale is full of shit.
@ronniedunlap1870
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
John Dillinger??? Him and Al Capone Knew each other
@Jeremiah_Rivers76
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Mind-boggling is a good word to describe D.B. Cooper’s case, even with all the questions it continues raising.
@soroushmohammadi3436
October 29, 2025 at 1:40 am
Nice work
Comments are closed.