From Tammany Hall’s stolen millions to senators with gold bars, American politics has never been short on scandal.
These aren’t just rumors — they’re the biggest names actually brought down by courts, indictments, and convictions.
Here’s history’s dirtiest rap sheet.
Spiro Agnew
Nixon’s vice president resigned in 1973 after pleading no contest to tax evasion tied to a Maryland kickback scheme. A sitting VP quitting in disgrace still stands as one of the most shocking collapses in U.S. politics.
Rod Blagojevich
The Illinois governor who literally tried to sell Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. Convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to 14 years before his sentence was commuted. His hair survived; his career didn’t.
Randy “Duke” Cunningham
A California congressman who created a bribery “menu” — defense contracts for a set price. He pled guilty and went to prison, leaving behind one of the most brazen congressional scandals in history.
Edwin Edwards
Louisiana’s four-term governor was a legend of bayou politics and shady deals. In 2000, he was convicted of racketeering and extortion tied to casino licenses. Even charm and Cajun wit couldn’t save him.
Albert B. Fall
The Teapot Dome scandal’s poster child. As Interior Secretary in the 1920s, he leased oil reserves to cronies in exchange for bribes. He became the first cabinet member ever sentenced to prison.
William Jefferson
The image is unforgettable: $90,000 in cash stuffed in his freezer. The Louisiana congressman was convicted on 11 counts of corruption in 2009, cementing his place in political infamy.
Otto Kerner Jr.
Illinois governor turned federal judge. Convicted of mail fraud and bribery linked to racetrack stock kickbacks. He had to resign his judgeship, one of the rare times a governor and judge’s careers collapsed in tandem.
Kwame Kilpatrick
Detroit’s flashy young mayor ended up with a 28-year sentence for running City Hall like a criminal enterprise — bribery, extortion, and fraud. His commutation didn’t erase the damage he left behind.
Bob Menendez
The longtime New Jersey senator was finally convicted in 2025 on 16 felony counts in the infamous “gold bars” bribery scandal, tied to favors for Egypt and Qatar. It was a staggering fall for a man who once chaired Senate Foreign Relations.
George Ryan
Illinois again. Ryan’s “licenses-for-bribes” scandal traced back to his days as Secretary of State. He was convicted while governor and did six and a half years. His anti–death penalty legacy couldn’t wash out the corruption.
James Traficant
A Youngstown congressman with wild hair and a wilder mouth. Convicted of bribery, racketeering, and tax evasion in 2002. He became one of the rare members expelled from the House since the Civil War.
Boss Tweed
The king of Tammany Hall. William “Boss” Tweed looted New York City for tens of millions in the 19th century. Arrested, escaped, then died in custody. His name is still shorthand for machine corruption.
Bottom Line
Corruption in American politics isn’t an aberration — it’s almost a tradition. From Tweed’s graft to Menendez’s bullion, the schemes evolve but the playbook is the same: sell influence, line pockets, hope no one notices. History says someone else is already auditioning for the next slot on this list.
