There’s a reason politics is called a dirty game. Ever since society organized itself into nations, some crooked individuals have made it to power with the sole purpose of enriching themselves. These political leaders have embezzled a lot of public money that would have otherwise been used to fund development projects. Today, we’ll list some of the dirtiest politicians of all time.
1. Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos’s story transitions from being considered a hero to enemy number one of the Philippines. After World War II, Marcos ran for office and won in a landslide victory because he was considered a war hero and veteran.
When he was elected for the second term, Marcos started overspending on infrastructure projects, leading to a debt crisis. Threatened by coups and civil unrest, Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, which made him the only decision-maker for the country.
His reign lasted until 1986, when people had enough of his regime. Marcos fled to Hawaii, taking $717 million cash from the government, the country’s gold, and other physical objects, estimated to be $124 million. It is alleged that Ferdinand Marcos made away with at least $5 billion during his time in office.
2. Mohamed Suharto
Mohamed Suharto served as the president of Indonesia from 1967 to 1998. Throughout and after his term as president, Suharto was accused of numerous corruption cases. His presidency started as a military dictatorship before transitioning into an authoritarian regime where the law was bent in his favor.
The president was so corrupt that people started protesting in 1997, leading to his resignation in 1998. Mohamed Suharto has since been accused of embezzling $1.5 billion in scholarship funds and $571 million, allegedly stolen using charity foundations. He was never tried because he was too ill – he passed away in 2008.
3. Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko is ranked as one of the wealthiest politicians ever. Unfortunately, his money didn’t come from hard work or business; he looted it directly from the public coffers. Mobutu Sese Seko rose to power in 1965 after overthrowing Patrice Lumumba with the help of the US government.
As president, Mobutu Sese Seko led a very luxurious life. He was often spotted in Paris engaging in expensive shopping sprees. Back home, Mobutu and his friends owned high-end properties and vehicles. It is estimated that he swept up to $5 billion from the government. He was overthrown in a coup in 1997.
4. Jean Claude Duvalier
Haiti is one of the few countries ravaged by extreme political instability, with dirty leaders like Jean Claude Duvalier being to blame for the country’s downfall. The crooked leader took over from his father in 1971 before continuing with his dad’s autocratic rule, which saw many people being tortured and killed. He led a luxurious lifestyle while thousands of Haitians were living below the poverty line. Duvalier escaped to France in 1986 after a revolution occurred in the country. He was arrested in 2011 and charged with embezzling at least $400 million. Unfortunately, he died while still undergoing trial.
5. Viktor Yanukovych
As prime minister and president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych was perceived as a good leader. However, his fall from grace started when he openly declared his sympathy for Russia. One of Yanukovych’s most infamous acts is rejecting the vote to tie Ukraine to the EU.
Based on the political history between the two countries, this move didn’t sit right with Ukrainians; in February 2014, he was impeached by the parliament. This exposed Viktor’s shady dealings – it was discovered that he had stolen at least $1.5 billion during his reign. $220 million had been used to open a private communication facility.
6. Najib Razak
Najib Razak was a shrewd politician in Malaysia for many years. He became so popular that he ran for office in 2009 and won the Prime Minister seat. Interestingly, Najib Razak brought many foreign investors to the country, which was an excellent policy.
However, the president habitually imprisoned his opponents and embezzled money directly from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. In 2013, he started facing criticism from his people, which led to losing his election in 2018. After stepping down, Najib was arrested for stealing $1 billion from the Malaysian government fund. He was handed a 12-year prison sentence and a fine of $45 million.
7. Alberto Fujimori
After being elected into office, the president of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, turned into a dictator. He began by leading a coup in Congress to remove opposition members, which would facilitate easy adaptation of his policies.
Alberto Fujimori would also utilize the death squad to torture and kill anyone who was against his government. In 2000, Alberto escaped to Japan after he was accused of corruption. He came back in 2005 and was arrested, tried, and sentenced to 32 years in prison.
8. Slobodan Milosevic
Slobodan Milosevic died in prison while he was serving time for looting up to $1 billion from the government of Yugoslavia. Milosevic had a pretty interesting history. He was the president of Serbia in 1989 before becoming president of Yugoslavia in 1997.
Slobodan Milosevic played a crucial role in the separation of these two nations. Even though he had his moments, such as when he helped end the Bosnian War, he was corrupt and faced trial for war crimes in 1999.
9. Asif Ali Zardari
Throughout his political life, Asif Ali Zardari has been a controversial figure. The former president of Pakistan has faced numerous corruption cases, which started way before he ascended into power. In 1998, Asif Ali Zardari and his late wife were accused of laundering money through Swiss bank accounts. The case was dropped in 2008 when he was declared president.
A year before, the incumbent president had issued a National Reconciliation Ordinance that gave amnesty to politicians accused of corruption, including Asif. This NRO was discarded in 2009, thus reopening Asif’s case and taking him through numerous legal battles.