Jonathan Wild

Jonathan Wild
Born	1682 or 1683 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England
Died	24 May 1725 (aged 41–42) Tyburn Tree Gallows, Middlesex, England
Cause of death	Execution by hanging
Nationality	English
Other names	The Great Corrupter
Occupation(s)	Carpenter, buckle-maker, criminal gang leader, fence, thief, vigilante
Employer(s)	Lord Mayor of London, self-employed
Known for	Vigilantism, larceny, organized crime, social manipulation
Title	Thief-Taker General
Predecessor	Charles Hitchen
Successor	Charles Hitchen
Opponent	Charles Hitchen
Criminal status	Publicly executed on 24 May 1725
Motive	Economic gain via thief-taking
Conviction(s)	Corruption
Criminal charge	Corruption
Penalty	Death by hanging
Partner(s)	Mary Milliner
Details
Country	England
Imprisoned at	Newgate Prison

Jonathan Wild, also spelled Wilde (1682 or 1683 – 24 May 1725), was a London underworld figure notable for operating on both sides of the law, posing as a public-spirited vigilante entitled the "Thief-Taker General". He simultaneously ran a significant criminal empire, and used his crimefighting role to remove rivals and launder the proceeds of his own crimes.

Wild exploited a strong public demand for action during a major 18th-century crime wave in the absence of any effective police force in London. As a powerful gang-leader himself, he became a master manipulator of legal systems, collecting the rewards offered for valuables which he had stolen himself, bribing prison guards to release his colleagues, and blackmailing any who crossed him. Wild was consulted on crime by the government due to his apparently remarkable prowess in locating stolen items and those who had stolen them.

Wild was responsible for the arrest and execution of Jack Sheppard, a petty thief and burglar who had won the public's affection as a lovable rogue. However, Wild's duplicity became known and his men began to give evidence against him. After a suicide attempt, he was hanged at Tyburn before a massive crowd.

Since his death, Wild has been featured in novels, poems and plays, some of them noting parallels between Wild and the contemporaneous Prime Minister Walpole, known as "The Great Corrupter".