William "Boss" Tweed ran the Democratic party machine in 19th century New York City called Tammany Hall and was eventually convicted of corruption and embezzlement of government funds.
Tweed and his accomplices committed about $30 million to $200 million in fraud. It was only after a series of articles in the New York Times in 1871 that these practices came to an end. Tweed was indicted and in 1873 he was sentenced to an initial 12 years in prison. After serving one year, he was released but was immediately arrested again. A civil suit followed, but on December 4, 1875, Tweed managed to escape. He was eventually detained in Spain by the authorities there and extradited to the US where he would remain in prison until his death two years later.
