Jonathan Wild: The thief-taker general
Ordinary men have to choose between a side during a predicament. However, Jonathan Wild was no ordinary man. He played both sides, deceiving them both, making the best of whatever opportunities lay on either side, and pretending to be friends to foe and foe to friends.
He got rid of the competition by acting as a government informant while using his influence to get his people out of police custody. Eventually, as his charade was blown, he was arrested and publicly hanged on May 24, 1725.