It should be no surprise to anyone that the Grand Theft Auto franchise is filled with crooks. The games have countless criminals, all of whom want their piece of the pie while sticking it to the law. These guys have various levels of success.
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Certain criminals have achieved untold notoriety within the GTA world. They usually attain this status through hostile takeovers or notable deeds, but their success also stems from a keen eye for business. After all, what good is all that death and destruction if there's nothing to show for it? The best crooks play that game and firmly secure their legacy in the process.
6 Niko Bellic
GTA 4, The Lost And Damned, The Ballad Of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto 4
- Released
- April 29, 2008
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
Unlike most GTA characters, Niko's exploits don't stop at the U.S. He previously fought a war in Yugoslavia and subsequently made a name for himself in the European underworld. Sadly, several betrayals leave him with virtually nothing, but he still has the skills he's accumulated.
Bellic puts them to use upon arriving in Liberty City in GTA 4. Initially performing odd jobs for various gangs, he eventually graduates to being a hitman and mercenary. His aforementioned combat prowess makes him the best in the business. Even the most hardened mob bosses seek out his services. His fire burns brightly, but it also burns briefly. Niko soon moves to another city and lies low. Considering he never stakes a claim or progresses in any of the organizations he works for, he doesn't leave much of a legacy behind. However, some in the criminal underworld still remember his famous feats.
5 Claude
GTA 3, San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto 3
- Released
- October 23, 2001
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Platform(s)
- PS2, Xbox (Original), PC, macOS, Android, iOS
The silent protagonist of GTA 3 is a force of nature. Claude plows through countless enemies on both sides of the law, and he does so with cold stoicism. His skills as a hired gun are top-notch, his successes shaking the very foundation of the underworld. He assassinates family heads like Salvatore Leone and starts a war between the yakuza and Colombian cartels. These are just a couple of accomplishments. Nothing is out of his reach, and no one can control him.
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What makes Claude more of a wild card is the fact that he's not in this game for personal advancement. He does it all for revenge. Betrayed by his girlfriend, he makes it his ambition to kill her and whoever lends her aid. Anyone would be suicidal to cross him. However, that doesn't stop him from doing so.
Due to past experience, Claude has absolutely no loyalty or allegiance. He's perfectly willing to stab his allies in the back. Sadly, this prevents him from making any lasting alliances. In addition, fulfilling his vengeance seems to rob him of purpose, as he drops off the map after GTA 3. In that sense, being a loner with a one-track mind works against him. Maybe the factions of GTA should count their blessings.
4 Carl "CJ" Johnson
San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Released
- October 26, 2004
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
Now, this is someone who gets around. Carl Johnson starts in GTA: San Andreas as a small-time street hood, but circumstances and betrayals constantly force him to relocate across the country. He usually winds up in hostile territory, bringing him into conflict with dangerous guys like the Ballers. Despite this, he always comes out on top. That would be impressive enough.
However, Carl's survival instinct goes hand-in-hand with his business sense. Whenever he conquers an opponent or pulls off a landmark job, he doesn't burn his bridges. Instead, he makes sure he has some stake in their profits. By the end, he's not only the head of his local Grove Street gang, but he also has business interests in the Four Dragons Casino, Madd Dogg's music career, and several properties in San Fierro. He achieves personal satisfaction in the short term and financial security in the long term.
3 Trevor Phillips
GTA 5
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Trevor may look like a trashy drug dealer in a rundown trailer park, and he is. That said, his range stretches far beyond his humble mobile home. Throughout GTA 5, he deals with numerous drug and arms dealers from across the world, building a thriving industry in Los Santos. That in itself wouldn't raise many eyebrows in this series. With Trevor, though, people know he attained that status through bloodshed.
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This guy is absolutely unhinged. He has no problem wiping his competition off the map. The Lost MC, Aztecas, and O'Neill brothers all meet this fate. It's not just business, though. Trevor is prone to slaughter anyone he finds even mildly annoying. What's more is that he has no fear for himself while doing so, willing to jump out of a plane or ride a motorcycle on a moving train without batting an eye. While this behavior helps him solidify his place within the industry, it also means no one wants to get too close.
2 Toni Cipriani
GTA 3, Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Toni originally works for Salvatore Leone in Liberty City Stories, but he quickly shows himself to be far more dangerous. He personally wages war on several criminal organizations, from other crime families to the yakuza to the Colombian cartels. He cripples these factions by killing key members, helping the Leone family rise in the ranks. Not only does this gain him more of Salvatore's favor, but it eventually earns him the top spot once his boss dies. This position is unheard of for a low-ranking thug. However, it pales in comparison to his most destructive accomplishment.
In a monumental move, Toni bombs Fort Staunton. He razes the town to the ground and wreaks untold havoc on its citizens. Worse, he does it all for money, as his associate's company receives funding to rebuild the place. No other GTA characters can say that they leveled a city. If Tony can pull that off, virtually nothing is out of his reach.
1 The FIB
GTA 5
Most GTA characters are loose cannons firmly outside the law, but the FIB has the US government backing it. A take on the real FBI, the Federal Investigation Bureau aims to nail terrorists and anyone else who threatens the country's security. That sounds like a solid idea on paper, but the bureau's members constantly abuse that power and turn it on the very citizens they're sworn the protect. They often use underhanded, illegal methods to accomplish their objectives. This includes exploiting other criminals--threatening and blackmailing them to perform unsanctioned operations. Such hypocrisy has earned an unscrupulous reputation from all corners of the underworld.
GTA characters look at the FIB with equal parts weariness and revulsion. Everyone knows the agency is dirty, yet its operatives smugly flaunt that corruption. They're comfortable in the knowledge that they'll face no consequences. This makes them lower than any conventional crook.