Willie Sutton

William Francis Sutton Jr. (June 30, 1901 – November 2, 1980) was an American professional bank robber who became a folk legend during and after the Great Depression era. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Sutton turned to crime during the economic hardship of the 1930s and became one of America's most notorious and wanted criminals. During his criminal career, he robbed numerous banks, allegedly stealing over $2 million (a substantial sum at the time) and earning him the nickname "The Actor" for his clever disguises and meticulous planning of heists. Sutton became famous for his wit, intelligence, and ability to elude authorities, and he developed a romantic outlaw persona in popular culture. He is famously attributed with the phrase "Because that's where the money is" when asked why he robbed banks, though he later disputed this attribution. Sutton was captured, imprisoned, and escaped multiple times before his final capture in 1952. While imprisoned, he wrote several books and became something of a celebrity, speaking about his crimes with candor and humor. Sutton was released on parole in 1969 and lived out his final years relatively quietly. His life has been the subject of films and books, and he remains an iconic figure in American criminal history, embodying a particular romantic vision of the intelligent, dapper criminal.