He inherited a boat load and he would have been richer had he simply invested it. He has a track record of bankruptcy and fraud and well, a lot more shady behavior. But he is an accomplished con man, one of the most successful in history and very successful branding himself. Had he not landed the sweet deal with NBC for his reality show he likely would have gone broke. And America certainly would not view him as some business whiz. His show was all smoke and mirrors, portraying himself as something he is not. NBC created a myth.