17 Movies About Con Artists Who Actually Get Away With It

It’s common for viewers to find themselves cheering for the clever criminals in movies, even though the police are trying to catch them. These films often showcase brilliant characters who pull off intricate heists, making off with large sums of money and disappearing before they can be caught. There’s a certain thrill in watching a flawless plan succeed, offering a form of entertainment and escape. Here are seventeen films where the con artists win and get away with their loot.

‘Ocean’s Eleven’ (2001)

Danny Ocean assembles a team of eleven experts to pull off an ambitious heist: robbing three Las Vegas casinos at the same time. While dodging sophisticated security, Danny also hopes to win back his ex-wife, who is now involved with the casino owner. They successfully use a clever deception, emptying the vaults and leaving the police completely confused. The team then disappears into the night, having made off with millions.

‘The Sting’ (1973)

In 1930s Chicago, two con artists, Johnny Hooker and Henry Gondorff, team up to swindle a dangerous mob boss. They create a phony gambling den as part of an elaborate scheme, using fake identities and even staging a false death to convince their target everything is real. In the end, they successfully steal the money, leaving the mob boss embarrassed and baffled.

‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995)

As a film buff, I’m always fascinated by clever storytelling, and ‘The Usual Suspects’ is a prime example. The movie centers around Roger Kint, who’s recounting a wild heist to a customs agent. He tells this incredibly intricate story about a group of criminals forced into a seemingly impossible job, all orchestrated by this shadowy figure named Keyser Söze. The police are convinced his story is the truth, and they let him go. But the real kicker? The ending reveals who was really pulling the strings, and they disappear right as everything clicks into place – it’s a brilliant twist that completely throws you for a loop!

‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ (1999)

A wealthy businessman, tired of his everyday life, impulsively steals a Monet painting from a museum in broad daylight. Insurance investigator Catherine Banning quickly suspects him and begins a clever pursuit to expose his crime. The thief, however, uses elaborate tricks and diversions to return the original painting while secretly replacing it with another, all while staying one step ahead of the police. He then flees the country, hoping to start a new life with Banning, free from legal consequences.

‘Inside Man’ (2006)

Dalton Russell masterminds a daring bank robbery where both the robbers and hostages wear the same clothes to trick the police. Detective Keith Frazier tries to talk Russell down while also uncovering hidden secrets about the bank’s founder, stored in a safety deposit box. Surprisingly, the robbers don’t take any money; they simply disappear into the crowd of released hostages. Russell himself calmly walks away, unnoticed, with a diamond ring and proof of the bank owner’s wartime crimes.

‘Focus’ (2015)

Nicky Spurgeon is a professional swindler who mentors a less experienced con artist named Jess. They begin a romantic relationship, but Nicky suddenly ends it after a successful heist in New Orleans. Years later, they reconnect in Buenos Aires while running a risky scheme involving horse racing. Together, they manage to trick a powerful and jealous billionaire, escaping with both their lives and a substantial amount of money.

‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ (1988)

On the glamorous French Riviera, two charming swindlers, Lawrence Jamieson and Freddy Benson, try to con a wealthy heiress, Janet Colgate, out of fifty thousand dollars. They use clever disguises and fake stories to win her sympathy, but their rivalry quickly intensifies. In a surprising twist, they discover Janet is actually a master con artist herself, known as ‘The Jackal,’ and she’s been playing them all along, leaving with their intended prize.

‘Now You See Me’ (2013)

A team of four talented street magicians, calling themselves The Four Horsemen, team up to pull off incredible stage shows. During these performances, they seemingly rob banks around the world and shower their audiences with the stolen money. As they travel across the country, an FBI agent and an Interpol detective try to catch them, but they don’t realize it’s all an illusion. The Horsemen ultimately manage to pin the blame on a skeptic who tries to expose them, then vanish by joining a hidden organization.

‘A Fish Called Wanda’ (1988)

After a diamond heist goes right, the thieves quickly turn on each other, each trying to grab the stolen jewels. Wanda Gershwitz cleverly plays everyone, including a lawyer named Archie Leach, to get the diamonds all to herself. This leads to a messy series of betrayals, with most of the gang ending up in jail or out of the picture. Wanda and Archie manage to escape the country with the stolen fortune, ready to start fresh.

‘Confidence’ (2003)

Jake Vig and his team mistakenly steal money from a dangerous crime boss and now need to come up with a new scheme to repay him. They decide to target a dishonest banker, crafting an elaborate plan that involves company loans and hidden offshore accounts. The success of their scheme hinges on precise timing and the help of a captivating woman named Lily. To throw off the mobsters, they pretend to be dead and then split the profits from the con.

‘Heartbreakers’ (2001)

I’m completely hooked on this story about Max and Page! They’re this incredible mother-daughter duo who have a really unique way of making a living – they target wealthy men, marry them, and then quickly get divorced, netting a nice payout. But things get complicated when Page unexpectedly falls for a bartender while they’re trying to con a billionaire. It’s a wild ride watching them deal with the legal mess and all the romantic drama that follows, all while trying to secure their future. Honestly, I was rooting for them the whole time, and I was so relieved when they finally got the money and managed to stay out of jail, ready to plan their next move! It’s just a brilliant, twisty story.

‘Maverick’ (1994)

Bret Maverick is a skilled gambler aiming to earn enough money to enter a big poker game on a riverboat. Along the way, he teams up with a delightful thief named Annabelle Bransford and a law marshal as they travel through the Wild West. The tournament becomes a mess when the prize money is stolen, but Maverick manages to get it back. In the end, he lets his father run off with the winnings, valuing the excitement of the journey more than the money itself.

‘Paper Moon’ (1973)

During the Depression, Moses Pray makes a living traveling across Kansas and selling Bibles to grieving widows, falsely claiming their late husbands had previously ordered them. He unexpectedly finds an unlikely partner in a nine-year-old girl named Addie, who quickly learns the tricks of his con. Together, they team up to swindle various people throughout the state, including bootleggers and shopkeepers. The story concludes with Moses and Addie evading the police and continuing their life of travel and deception together.

‘Matchstick Men’ (2003)

Roy Waller, a con artist with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, learns he has a teenage daughter, Angela. He begins teaching her how to scam people and they team up to pull off a major currency exchange fraud. Things seem to fall apart when their target realizes they’ve been tricked and the police get involved. However, it’s later revealed that Angela and Roy’s accomplice, Frank, actually tricked Roy out of all his money and escaped without a trace.

‘Wild Things’ (1998)

Guidance counselor Sam Lombardo finds his life turned upside down when two students falsely accuse him of a crime, damaging his reputation. This accusation is just the beginning, as it unravels a complex scheme involving insurance fraud and secret bank accounts. A detective investigates a web of deceit, betrayal, and ultimately, murder, among those involved. In the end, one of the students responsible escapes with the stolen money and is seen enjoying a luxurious life on a tropical island.

‘The Italian Job’ (2003)

Charlie Croker gathers a skilled team to reclaim stolen gold from a former partner who double-crossed them. To escape with the gold, they cleverly disrupt Los Angeles traffic, causing a huge traffic jam. The team uses specially prepared Mini Coopers to navigate through the city’s subway tunnels and storm drains, successfully recovering the gold and ultimately enjoying comfortable retirements around the globe.

‘Logan Lucky’ (2017)

Two brothers believe they can break a family curse by robbing the Charlotte Motor Speedway during a big NASCAR race. To pull it off, they need a skilled safe-cracker, so they orchestrate a daring prison break. Their plan involves a complex scheme with pneumatic tubes and a fake riot to distract authorities. They successfully steal the money and share it, managing to evade the FBI, who ultimately close the case without catching them.

2025-11-30 15:46