Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by bflesch 9 days ago
Criminals are not afraid of the police but afraid of the IRS. Smuggling and selling prohibited goods is super easy, but then you suddenly have a shitload of cash but everybody knows you as an unemployed bum without career, and they would report you to authorities if they see you in a supercar. They need a cover story and career that allows them to "earn" money without raising any suspicion.

As the other commenter said, "Ozark" is a really good show about this.
1 comments
dhosek 9 days ago
Breaking Bad was another show that addressed some of the issues with Walt buying a car wash as a way to try to launder the drug money although the problem was that there was too much money (thus the 55-gallon drums of cash buried in the desert).
link
AnthonyMouse 9 days ago
> the problem was that there was too much money

In real life, wouldn't they just open another car wash? Even in the show, Los Pollos Hermanos was a chain.

link
gwbas1c 9 days ago
What became clearer the 2nd time around was that Walter White was a horrible criminal who's downfall was that he was greedy and didn't know when to stop.
link
AnthonyMouse 9 days ago
The show is a show. Do the real life drug cartels "know where to stop"? They basically own some countries at this point.
link
gwbas1c 8 days ago
Well, yes, it's fiction. My point is that Walter White, as a written fictional character, is written as a horrible criminal.

Pay closer attention to Mike's criticism of Walter's antics; or the general contrast between Gus, who is a professional criminal, and Walter, especially when Gus "fires" Walter. Ultimately, things end up poorly for Mike and Gus because Walter doesn't know how to behave as a criminal. (Or as a tech startup founder, for that matter.)

link