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20 Richest Female Gang Leaders in History
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00:00While men are often seen as gang leaders, history reveals that women have also commanded powerful
00:04criminal empires. From Sister Ping with a net worth of over $40 million to Griselda Blanco
00:09worth more than $2 billion, here are the 20 richest female gang leaders in history.
00:14Let's get into it. Pearl Elliott, $40,000
00:17Pearl Elliott was a notorious madam and associate of some of the most infamous criminals of the
00:22Prohibition era. Born in Hillisburg, Indiana, she led a tumultuous life, marrying multiple times
00:27before becoming involved in criminal activity. By the late 1920s, Elliott was well known in
00:33Kokomo, Indiana, for running a brothel. Her business attracted the attention of local authorities and
00:38she was frequently arrested. In 1929, police raided her home and she was charged with operating a
00:43house of ill repute, although the case was later dismissed. Elliott's criminal ties deepened when
00:47she became involved with Harry Pierpont, a notorious bank robber. She was rumored to have harbored him
00:52and his gang members after their 1933 escape from the Indiana State Prison. By late 1933,
00:58Elliott was also associated with John Dillinger's gang, allegedly serving as the group's treasurer
01:02and advance fixer. She was listed on the Chicago Police Department's public enemies list and was
01:07wanted for her ties to Dillinger's criminal activities. Her net worth also grew to be $40,000.
01:13After Dillinger's death in 1934, Elliott's life began to unravel. She was reportedly suffering
01:18from a terminal illness and spent her final days at her mother's house. While Pearl Elliott's wealth
01:23came from criminal ties, Parker's wealth grew differently. Bonnie Parker, $73,000.
01:28Bonnie Parker's journey from a small-town girl to one of America's most infamous criminals began in
01:331930 when she met Clyde Barrow. Born in 1910 in Rowena, Texas, Bonnie was a bright student with
01:39dreams of becoming an actress. She married Roy Thornton at just 16, but the relationship quickly
01:44turned abusive. After Thornton was sent to prison, Bonnie's life changed dramatically
01:48when she crossed paths with Clyde, a volatile ex-con. In the early days of their relationship,
01:53Clyde was arrested again, but Bonnie smuggled a gun into the prison, helping him escape.
01:57So the two embarked on a crime spree, robbing banks and businesses across several states,
02:02and rapidly attracted national notice with almost $73,000 in stolen assets. The Barrow gang was
02:08ruthless, and their violence led to the deaths of multiple people, including nine law enforcement
02:12officers. In 1932, Bonnie was caught during a failed robbery and imprisoned for two months. She was
02:18eventually released, claiming Clyde's gang had kidnapped her. Reunited with her partner, Bonnie
02:22rejoined the crime spree. However, on May 23, 1934, Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed by police in a hail
02:28of bullets in Louisiana. While Bonnie's crime spree ended in death, Mar Barker's ties to criminals led to
02:33a different fate. Mar Barker, $200,000. Mar Barker is often portrayed as the mastermind behind the notorious
02:41Barker-Karpis gang, but historical accounts suggest otherwise. While she did travel with her sons and was
02:46involved in their criminal activities, much of the myth surrounding her role was fabricated by
02:51J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI to justify her violent death in 1935. So, Mar Barker married George Barker
02:58in 1892, and they had four sons. The Barker family lived in poverty, and her children turned to crime
03:03at an early age. Her son Fred, along with Alvin Karpis, formed the infamous Barker-Karpis gang in the
03:091930s. The gang was responsible for a series of bank robberies, kidnappings, and murders. At that time,
03:15it was believed that Mar Barker had a net worth of around $200,000. Though the media have often
03:20depicted Mar as the criminal mastermind, gang members, including Karpis, have downplayed her
03:25role. She was not the leader of the gang, but rather an accessory who helped by renting safe
03:30houses, running errands, and providing cover for her sons. In January 1935, Mar and Fred were killed
03:36in a shootout with the FBI in Florida. Though Mar Barker's criminal influence was exaggerated,
03:40the next woman on our list faced even greater challenges. Thelma Wright's journey from a
03:48suburban Catholic upbringing to becoming a major player in the Philadelphia drug trade is nothing
03:52short of captivating. In her early 20s, she met Jackie Wright, a top heroine wholesaler tied to
03:57the infamous Black Mafia. Together, they had a son, Jackie M. But in 1986, tragedy struck. Jackie was
04:02murdered, leaving Thelma to decide whether to walk away from the criminal world or step into her
04:07husband's shoes. With little choice, Thelma took over, quickly rising to power in the heroin and
04:11cocaine trade between Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Known as Boss Lady, she built a large network,
04:17making a staggering $400,000 a month in profits. The lifestyle was a far cry from the woman she once
04:22was, but the risks were constant. She was caught in a gangland shootout in 1991, and narrowly avoided
04:28being caught by the police soon after. That same year, Wright decided to leave the drug game for good.
04:33She kept a low profile for years until 2011, when she published her memoir revealing her past.
04:39Also, she disclosed that she earned $400,000 per month. While Thelma left her criminal past behind,
04:45another woman rose to dominate an even deadlier empire. Stephanie St. Clair, $500,000.
04:51Stephanie St. Clair, born in 1897 in Martinique, was a pioneering racketeer who became a local legend
04:58in Harlem during the early 20th century. Known as Madame Queen, St. Clair ran a successful numbers
05:03game, a form of illegal gambling that was crucial to the Harlem economy. She became one of the few
05:07women involved in this male-dominated business, helping her community by providing jobs and
05:13donating to racial progress initiatives. Her net worth was approximately $500,000. When the Prohibition
05:18era ended, mafia families, led by figures like Dutch Schultz, sought to take over Harlem's gambling
05:23scene. However, St. Clair and her enforcer, Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson, refused to bow to their
05:28demands. She fought back by sabotaging Schultz's operations and even tipped off the police, leading
05:33to a major raid on his home. Also, she fought against corruption and advocated for the black
05:38community's rights, even taking on corrupt officers in the 1930s. Despite constant harassment,
05:43she persisted, once testifying to the Seabury Commission about police kickbacks, resulting in
05:47the firing of several officers. Though St. Clair eventually stepped back from the numbers game,
05:52she continued her advocacy until her death in 1969. While St. Clair fought the Mafia's
05:57control, the next woman on our list left the criminal world, Gertrude Lithgow, $1 million.
06:03Gertrude Lithgow was one of the most prominent female bootleggers during the Prohibition era.
06:07Born in 1888, she worked various jobs before diving into the rum trade, becoming a key figure
06:13in the underground alcohol business of the 1920s. After Prohibition hit in 1917, the alcohol trade
06:19exploded, and Lithgow seized the opportunity. She worked for the A.L. William Company in London,
06:23eventually convincing them to back her venture into the rum trade. Moving to Nassau in 1922,
06:29she sold imported alcohol to bootleggers, claiming all her transactions were legal.
06:33She worked with British Scotch wholesalers, and her high-quality product quickly gained a reputation,
06:38earning her partnerships with notorious figures like Captain Bill McCoy. Despite scepticism due to her
06:43gender, Lithgow proved herself a formidable figure. She was known for her confidence and no-nonsense
06:47attitude, once threatening a critic with violence after they insulted her alcohol. Lithgow became
06:52incredibly wealthy, but she left the rum business in 1926 after some bad luck and growing competition.
06:58She later moved to Detroit, owning a rent-a-car business before retiring in California with a
07:02net worth of $1 million. Just as Gertrude Lithgow made millions in the rum trade, Claudia Ochoa Felix
07:08ruled Mexico's criminal empire. Claudia Ochoa Felix, $1 million.
07:13Claudia Ochoa Felix was a notorious figure in Mexico's criminal underworld. She gained fame as
07:19the leader of Los Antrax, the feared assassin unit of the Sinaloa cartel, and was often referred to as
07:24the Empress of Antrax. Ochoa Felix made waves on social media in 2014, posting glamorous photos of
07:31herself with gold and pink AK-47S, designer bags and luxury travel. Her stunning looks and connections
07:37to the cartel made her a captivating yet dangerous figure. Additionally, her net worth was rumored to
07:42be around $1 million. Rumors swirled that she took over the leadership of Los Antrax after her romantic
07:48partner, José Rodrigo Arechiga, was arrested. Though she vehemently denied any involvement in the
07:53cartel's operations, Mexican authorities linked her to the deadly gang. Also, she was married to El Chavo
07:59Felix, a drug trafficker with the Sinaloa cartel, and they had three children together.
08:03Tragically, Ochoa Felix's life came to an end when she was found dead from a drug overdose in her home
08:08in Culiacan. The night before her death, she had been out at a nightclub with a man who later discovered
08:13her lifeless in the morning. While Ochoa Felix's life ended in tragedy, the next woman on our list
08:18also navigated the dangerous world of organized crime. Virginia Hill, $1 million. Virginia Hill was a
08:25powerful figure in the world of organized crime. Born in Alabama in 1916, Hill started her career
08:31as a waitress and later entered the criminal underworld as a courier for the Chicago outfit
08:35in the 1930s. Her beauty and charm helped her rise through the ranks. Hill had a sharp mind and became
08:41a key player, acting as a central clearinghouse for mob intelligence. Also, Hill's rise in the crime
08:46world led her to relationships with some of the most notorious mobsters of the time, including
08:51Joseph Epstein and Charles Fischetti. She played a pivotal role in gathering information for the
08:55Chicago mob, even acting as a liaison between powerful figures. Virginia Hill had an estimated
09:00worth of around $1 million, but it was her affair with Bugsy Siegel that made her infamous. The two
09:05had a passionate relationship, and Hill's involvement in Siegel's life and death remained shrouded in
09:10mystery. After Siegel's murder, Hill's life took a turn. She married Hans Hauser in 1950 and moved to
09:16Europe. Despite her glamorous lifestyle, Hill's story ended tragically in 1966, when she died from
09:21a sleeping pill overdose in Austria. Next, we have Judy Moran's story, which takes a wild turn in
09:26Australia's violent crime world. Judy Moran, $1 million. Judy Moran was the infamous matriarch of
09:33the Moran crime family in Melbourne, Australia. She became a key figure in the city's notorious gangland
09:38wars, which led to multiple murders within her own family. In other words, Judy's life was marked by huge
09:43tragedy and violence. She married Leslie Johnny Cole in 1963, but after his 1982 gangland murder,
09:50she started a relationship with Louis Moran, with whom she had two sons, Mark and Jason. Both sons
09:55were murdered in 2000 and 2003, and in 2004, Louis was also killed. In 2009, Judy's involvement in
10:02another murder came to light. Her brother-in-law, Desmond Tuppence Moran, was shot dead, and Judy was
10:07arrested in connection with the crime. Police uncovered a stash of weapons and other evidence linking her to
10:12the murder. Despite maintaining her innocence, she was convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison
10:17in 2011. Judy also wrote a controversial autobiography that detailed her life in the criminal underworld and
10:23the deaths of her loved ones. Despite her criminal background, her net worth grew to $1 million after
10:28she sold her property. While Moran's life was defined by loss and crime, the next figure on our list
10:33carved a path of ruthless power. Xi Kaiping, $2.5 million. Xi Kaiping was a notorious female gang
10:40leader from Chongqing, China. Convicted in 2012, she was sentenced to 18 years in prison for leading
10:46a crime syndicate involved in gambling, illegal imprisonment, and bribing officials. Xi's reign over
10:51the criminal underworld was marked by brutal tactics, including the beating of an undercover officer and
10:56her lavish lifestyle, which included 16 lovers and a string of gambling dens. Her criminal activities earned
11:02her around $2.5 million. Despite her high-profile crimes, Xi's power was bolstered by family
11:08connections, including her brother-in-law Wenqiang, a former deputy police chief who allegedly shielded
11:14her criminal activities. Xi's case came to light during a major crackdown on organized crime in
11:18Chongqing, which also saw the arrest of numerous officials and businesspeople. Also, the crackdown revealed
11:24the deep ties between corrupt officials and the criminal underworld. This kind of behavior wouldn't have
11:29been tolerated even under the Qing dynasty, China's last weak imperial dynasty, said Bo Xilai, the party
11:35secretary of Chongqing, who has headed the anti-crime drive. Xi's 18-year sentence left many shocked as
11:40her crimes spanned years, highlighting the corruption in modern China. While Xi's empire fell to disaster,
11:46another smuggler rose, orchestrating an operation on an international scale.
11:50Raffaella D'Altario, $10 million. Raffaella D'Altario, a notorious mafia godmother from Naples,
11:56Italy, was known for her ruthless control over a criminal clan. Raffaella's rise to power came
12:02after the murder of her husband, Nicola Pianese. In other words, after his death, she took over the
12:06family's operations, which included running lucrative drug cartels in the violent city of
12:11Naples. Furthermore, she survived a gunshot attempt three years later. Despite this, Raffaella's
12:16control over the clan grew, leading to her nickname the Big Female Kitten. Her family was known for its
12:21extravagant lifestyle, often flying to Monte Carlo for shopping sprees. The D'Altario clan was involved in
12:26extortion, illegal arms, robbery, and drug trafficking, all while using violence to eliminate rivals.
12:31They were deeply entrenched in the Camorra, a mafia organization that generates over £130 billion
12:37annually from drugs, counterfeiting, and waste disposal. Also, Raffaella had a net worth of $10
12:42million. However, at 46, she was arrested along with 65 others in a dramatic police operation that
12:48included armed officers, helicopters, and sniffer dogs. Among the seized items was a red Ferrari with a
12:54solid gold number plate and a lavish gift for her daughter's boyfriend. Despite Raffaella's
12:58unshakable grip on the Naples underworld, another woman would rise in a different city.
13:03Jemica Thompson, $10 million. In the 1980s, Jemica Thompson became a key player in the cocaine trade
13:09during the peak of Los Angeles' crack epidemic. Evicted from her home at a young age, Thompson quickly
13:14partnered with Anthony Mosley. Together, they ran a profitable cocaine business, later expanding into
13:19crack cocaine. Tragically, Mosley was murdered while washing his car, but Thompson pressed on,
13:24building her empire across the U.S. and even launching a hair business catering to celebrities.
13:29During that time, her net worth increased to a total of $10 million. But her downfall came when
13:34she began dating a man named Cheese, who betrayed her after their breakup, leading to her arrest.
13:38On the run for two years, Thompson's reign ended when she was caught at her son's 6th grade
13:43graduation in 1993. Convicted of drug trafficking, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison. While
13:49incarcerated, Thompson found faith and became an evangelical minister, helping other inmates.
13:54She was released in 2005 after serving 13 years and now runs second-chance ministries in South
13:59Central LA, offering others a path to redemption. Thompson also authored Queen Pin, a memoir in 2010.
14:05Next up, we have Mallory's meteoric rise to crime power.
14:09Mallory Dadiana Chacon Rossell, $10 million
14:11Mallory Chacon Rossell was a Guatemalan drug trafficker who became infamous for working with
14:17Mexican crime groups like the Zetas and Sinaloa Cartel. She played a pivotal role in trafficking
14:22cocaine into the U.S. and was one of the most prolific money launderers in Central America.
14:27Chacon started her criminal career in the early 2000s, laundering money for Colombian drug networks.
14:32By 2004, she was working with the powerful Lorenzana clan and expanded her operations to include
14:37trafficking tons of cocaine from Colombia through Central America into the U.S. The authorities
14:42called her the most active money launderer in Guatemala, coordinating shipments with precision.
14:47After years on the run, Chacon turned herself into U.S. authorities in 2014. Facing 26 years
14:53in prison, she cooperated with prosecutors, helping dismantle drug trafficking networks across
14:57Guatemala, Colombia and Mexico. Her cooperation led to the capture of several key figures, including
15:03Colombian trafficker Daniel El Loco Barrera and Guatemalan officials tied to corruption.
15:08In 2019, Chacon was released after serving just five years. Since her release, little has been
15:13heard about her, but her legacy as one of the most powerful female figures is undeniable,
15:17along with the $10 million she accumulated per month. Next, we have Enedina Arellano Felix,
15:23who took control of the Tijuana cartel. Enedina Arellano Felix was a key figure in Mexico's criminal
15:33underworld. As the sister of several leaders of the Tijuana cartel, Enedina played a pivotal role in
15:38the cartel's operations, particularly in money laundering and financial management. In the 1990s,
15:44while her six brothers ran the cartel, Enedina worked behind the scenes helping them with finances.
15:49But after the arrest of a key financial player in 2000, she stepped up, eventually taking control
15:54of the cartel's finances. When her brother Eduardo was arrested in 2008, Enedina became the leader of
16:00the cartel alongside her nephew, Luis Fernando. She played a crucial role in maintaining the cartel's
16:05operations and alliances, even after many of her brothers were captured or killed. She also had a
16:10net worth of $14 million. Unlike her brothers, who favored violent tactics, Enedina took a more
16:15business-like approach, focusing on partnerships with other criminal organizations. The US Department
16:20of Treasury sanctioned her under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act in 2000,
16:25labeling her a major figure in drug trafficking. Today, she remains one of the most powerful and
16:29influential women in the criminal world. Much like Enedina, Sandra built a vast criminal empire,
16:34though hers spanned across continents. Sandra Avila Beltran, $15 million. Sandra Avila Beltran was one of
16:41the most infamous female drug lords in history. Born in Baja, California in 1960, Sandra came from
16:47a family deeply embedded in Mexico's drug trade, with connections to the Sinaloa cartel and the
16:52infamous Guadalajara cartel. Her rise to power was influenced by her relationships with several
16:56high-profile drug barons, including Juan Diego Espinoza Ramirez, a key figure in Colombia's Norte
17:02del Valle cartel. Avila Beltran's criminal empire spanned multiple countries, trafficking large
17:06quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico. She became notorious for her involvement in drug
17:11smuggling and money laundering, amassing billions in profits. Also, during the height of her career,
17:16her net worth was $15 million. However, in 2007, after a lengthy investigation,
17:22Sandra was arrested in Mexico City on charges of organized crime and conspiracy. She was later
17:27extradited to the US in 2012, where she faced charges related to drug trafficking. Despite being a
17:32powerful figure in the cartel world, her life behind bars was filled with controversies, including
17:37a botched Botox treatment. In 2015, after serving time in both Mexico and the US, she was released and
17:43now lives in Guadalajara. While Sandra's criminal empire spanned continents, another woman would rise in
17:48China, commanding a different kind of power. Sister Ping, $40 million. Chung Chui Ping was one of the most
17:55notorious female smugglers in history. Born in 1949 in China's Fujian province, Sister Ping ran a massive smuggling
18:01ring between 1984 and 2000, bringing over 3,000 people into the United States. Her operation earned
18:08her more than $40 million, making her one of the most successful snakeheads, a term for Chinese human
18:13smugglers. Starting as a small-scale operation, Ping used forged documents to smuggle people in via
18:18commercial flights. But after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, her business exploded, and she began
18:24using cargo ships to transport hundreds at a time. Despite facing multiple legal hurdles, including serving
18:30time for smuggling in Canada, Ping continued to expand her operation. Her smuggling network was
18:35highly sophisticated, spanning multiple countries. She hired armed thugs from the infamous Fook Ching
18:41Gang to enforce her exorbitant fees, which ranged from $25,000 to $45,000 per person. However, her reign
18:48came to an end in 2000 when she was arrested in Hong Kong and later extradited to the US. In 2006,
18:55Sister Ping was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, where she spent the last years of her life
19:00battling cancer. Next, we have a woman who thrived in the shadows, commanding a powerful mafia network,
19:06Rosetta Coutolo, $215 million. Rosetta Coutolo was a key figure in Italy's Camorra criminal network.
19:12Known as IceEyes, Rosetta kept the organization running for over 15 years, despite her humble
19:17appearance. While Raffaella, her father, gained notoriety for his public statements, Rosetta remained
19:22a shadow leader. She communicated his orders from prison and managed the NCO's day-to-day operations,
19:27earning respect and loyalty from followers. Her role was crucial in preventing the collapse of
19:32the organization. Also, her wealth in the NCO was around $215 million. In the early 80s,
19:38Rosetta was deeply involved in high-level negotiations with South American drug cartels
19:43and rival mafia factions. She narrowly escaped capture during a police raid in 1981,
19:48managing to flee under a rug, driven by a priest. After years in hiding, Rosetta surrendered in 1993.
19:54She was sentenced to five years for mafia association, but was acquitted of murder charges.
19:58Her quiet, modest image helped convince authorities she posed no threat. Despite her
20:03brother's insistence that she was harmless, prosecutor Antonio Laudati recognized Rosetta
20:08as the true leader of the NCO during Raffaella's imprisonment. While Rosetta Coutolo ruled in the
20:13shadows, another woman rose in Italy, taking charge of a mafia empire with a strategic,
20:17business-minded approach. Maria Liciardi, $500 million
20:22Maria Liciardi was one of the most infamous female crime bosses in history. Born in Naples,
20:27Italy, she took over the Liciardi clan after the arrest of her brothers and husband. Her reign over
20:32the powerful Italian criminal organization began in the early 90s and lasted until her 2001 arrest.
20:38Known for her intelligence and ruthlessness, Liciardi expanded the clan's operations into drug
20:43trafficking, extortion and even prostitution, breaking traditional codes to turn huge profits.
20:48Under her leadership, the Second Igliano Alliance grew in strength, controlling much of Naples'
20:53underground economy. She also became known for her strategic thinking and charisma,
20:57running the clan with the efficiency of a multinational business. When she was at the
21:00height of her criminal career, she amassed an astounding $500 million. Liciardi's downfall began
21:06in 1999 after a deadly heroin shipment caused public outrage. This led to a bloody war with rival gangs,
21:12forcing her into hiding for two years. Despite numerous attempts to capture her,
21:17including a failed bombing of a prosecutor's office, she remained elusive until her final
21:21arrest in 2001. She was released in 2009, but in 2021, she was caught trying to flee to Spain.
21:27Next, we have Anna Cristina's empire, which was about to face its reckoning.
21:31Anna Cristina, $600 million
21:34In the world of crime, one woman stood out for running a call girl ring in the heart of New
21:38York City's Upper East Side. Anna Cristina, the so-called soccer mom,
21:42madam. A decade after the global media frenzy, Cristina remains unapologetic. She was charged
21:47with promoting prostitution after a multi-year investigation linked her to high-profile clients,
21:52but Cristina insists she wasn't running a criminal enterprise.
21:55I actually thought it was okay, and I thought I ran a business like Martha Stewart,
21:59and there was nothing wrong with that, she said, claiming her operations were more like a dating
22:03service than anything else. She was arrested, spent four months on Rikers Island, and eventually pleaded
22:08guilty to a single count of prostitution in exchange for time served and probation. For nearly 20 years,
22:14Cristina ran her business, catering to wealthy clients who paid anywhere from $1,000 an hour to $25,000
22:20for a weekend. She had a net worth of $600 million at the height of her career. Also,
22:25she insists the women were never forced and everything was consensual. Now living in upstate New York,
22:30Cristina is at peace, but still fighting to have her conviction overturned. Just as Anna Cristina
22:35dominated the world of high-priced escorts, Griselda Blanco carved her criminal empire. Griselda Blanco,
22:41$2 billion. Griselda Blanco, known as the cocaine godmother, was a Colombian drug lord who dominated
22:47the Miami drug trade in the 1970s and 1980s. Blanco's $2 billion empire was built on trafficking
22:54massive amounts of cocaine, generating millions of dollars per month. She played a key role in
22:59establishing the cocaine trade between Colombia and the US, born in Cartagena, Colombia. Blanco's life was
23:04marked by violence from an early age. She grew up in Medellin and quickly became involved in
23:09petty crime. By her late teens, she had entered the drug business, first dealing marijuana before
23:14transitioning to cocaine. She married two men involved in the trade, and after one marriage
23:18ended in murder, she married Alberto Bravo, only to have him killed later over a business dispute.
23:23Blanco's operation spanned multiple cities, earning her an arrest in 1985 for cocaine trafficking.
23:29Despite being convicted, she continued to exert power behind bars. In 1998,
23:34she pleaded guilty to multiple murders and served time until her release in 2004 due to poor health.
23:39However, Griselda Blanco's life ended in 2012, when she was shot twice in the head by a motorcycle
23:45assassin in Medellin, echoing the method she used to eliminate rivals during the violent days of the
23:50Miami drug war. If you enjoyed watching this video, then keep exploring by clicking on any of
23:55the cards on your screen for more exciting videos like this.
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