Money for Nothing: The Ten Best Ways to Make Money Illegally in North America

"Money for Nothing" is the true story of ten commercial ventures that have made millions even though, or perhaps because, they are * marijuana growing * drug dealing * auto theft * bet-taking * credit card fraud * shoplifting * alcohol and cigarette smuggling * commercial breaking and entering * ticket scalping * counterfeiting These are perpetrated by real individuals involved in these 'businesses,' most of whom have done little or no jail time for their activities. Why do they do it? How do they get away with it? Why do the police frequently turn a blind eye to their operations? What effect do they have on society? Are they committing victimless crimes as they claim? What happens when they try to go "legit?" Answers to these questions provide an intriguing inside view of the seamier side of North America's massive underground economy. Jeremy Mercer is a reporter with the "Ottawa Citizen" and author of "The Champagne Gang," also published by Warwick Publishing.