Leroy Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Barnes is a Harlem, New York City-born former notorious criminal, later government informant, initially best known for leading “The Council”, the New York-based criminal organization. Born on 15 October 1933, Nicky is also the co-author of his book “Mr. Untouchable”, which he wrote along with the writer Tom Folsom. Nicky has also released a documentary movie of the same name in DVD form.
One of the most recognized former drugs lord of America, one may wonder how rich is Nicky Barnes at the present? As of early 2016, Nicky counts his net worth at the amount of $500,000. Mostly, the release of Nicky’s memoir in the form of “Mr. Untouchable” has been the most significant in adding to his present net worth. Along with this, his work with the government as an informant must have a role in adding to his net worth.
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Nicky Barnes Net Worth $500,000
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Raised in Harlem by an abusive and hard-drinking father, Nicky was a good student while young, but left home early to escape his father, and turned to drug-dealing for income. In his youth he was addicted to drugs himself and was eventually imprisoned in 1965 for low-level drug dealing. When he was in jail, Nicky was introduced to the members of the Colombo crime family who helped him bail out of prison. Eventually, he assembled other people to create “The Council” so that he could deal more efficiently with other black gangsters.
Gradually, Nicky began to earn a reputation as a notorious drug-dealer and his operation spread from New York State to Pennsylvania and Canada. As a part of the council, Nicky handled the distribution problems of heroin, and settled disputes. Nicky’s life turned upside down as he was again convicted of drug-trafficking – following his story published in the New York Times Magazine under the title “Mr. Untouchable”, the then President Jimmy Carter ordered his prosecution. As he went to prison in 1978, Nicky came to learn that he was betrayed by members of his own gang and one of them was even sleeping with his wife. This knowledge made Nicky change sides and become a government informant.
Until today, Nicky has managed to secure the indictment of more than 40 alleged criminals and his sentence was reduced to only 35 years for his co-operation with government agencies. He was released in the summer of 1998 and since then, he has become more prominent as an author and informant. Currently a part of the Witness Protection Program, Nicky wrote his memoir “Mr. Untouchable: My Crimes And Punishments” in 2007 and also made a documentary out of the book. Both the book and film were successful enough to add significantly to his present net worth.
As for his personal life, 82 years old Nicky now leads a clean life and is protected by the government of America under its Witness Protection Program as he still works as an informant. Depicted in the movie “American Gangster”, Nicky was portrayed by actor Cuba Gooding Jr. For now, Nicky apparently enjoys his life as a government informant and an author while his present net worth of $500,000 caters to his daily life.
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