10 Amazing Stories Of Real Robin Hoods

If you acquired a fortune, would you pass it on to the poor? That's what these people did. Watch the incredible story of the magical robin hoods in Now You See Me, in theaters May 31.

1. The Bangladeshi Donor

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After he was arrested by Bangladeshi police in 2011, neighbors of the generous Badiul Haq Nasir finally realized what the source of his wealth was. Over the last two decades, he had donated thousands of dollars acquired through robberies and other petty crimes to orphanages and mosques.

2. Spain's Robin Hood Mayor

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In early 2012, Marinaleda mayor Sanchez Gordillo organized a number of robberies at supermarkets with the intent to given to stolen groceries to the poor. Though he has political immunity because of his elected status, he has reportedly said he would accept being arrested for the crimes he so strongly believes in.

3. The Russian Defector

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Karmaliuk was a Ukrainian peasant who was forced to join the Russian army during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. He eventually escaped with a number of men who stole from merchants and gave out the loot to the poor, turning him into a sort of folk hero in the region.

4. The Marijuana Humanitarians

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Middle-aged couple Michael Foster and Susan Cooper surprised everyone in 2012 when it was discovered they had been growing and selling hundreds of pounds of cannabis in their Lincolnshire farmhouse, then flying to a Kenyan village to donate much of their profit to help the locals.

5. The Lithuanian Folk Hero

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Though reports conflict about how exactly Tadas Blinda went about his crimes, the 19th century Lithuanian folk hero was said to have gathered a group of bandits with which he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Some versions of his tale say he buried a treasure in the forest but it has yet to be discovered.

6. Braunchsweig's Good Samaritan

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For the past few years, churches, soup kitchens, day care centers and other charitable organizations in the German town of Braunchsweig have discovered envelopes stuffed with 10,000 euros in their mailboxes. So far about 190,000 euros (almost $250,000 US) have been discovered, but no hints as to who is depositing the cash have been uncovered.

7. The Virtual Robin Hood

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After slowly collecting private data from Latvian firms, a hacker who called himself "Neo" leaked sensitive information on both Twitter and local TV stations in 2010. This data included state-owned companies handing out large bonuses while receiving government bail out money, all during a time where 23% of Latvians are unemployed.

8. The Corporate Cash Adjuster

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Benedict Hancock, a senior relationship manager at the Royal Bank of Scotland, took it upon himself to redistribute the wealth amongst his corporate clients in 2008. When some of his clients needed cash to get through hard times, Hancock would set up false account to transfer some 7 million pounds from his more affluent clients, telling them he had safely tucked that extra money away in bonds.

9. The Slovak Outlaw

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Juraj Jánošík was a famous Slovak outlaw who lived in the late 17th century and early 18th century. Though his life has been heavily fictionalized throughout the centuries, the core narrative remains consistent that he was a leader of non-violent bandits who robbed rich merchants and shared their loot with the less fortunate.

10. The Loan Forger

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Another well-meaning banker, while working as vice president of the loan department at Chicago's First Security Trust & Savings Bank in 2010, Jeffrey Gonsiewski repeatedly modified his clients' loan documents to make it seem that their payments were not overdue, thus buying them time before foreclosure. His actions cost the bank $5.5 million. He is currently serving a 63-month sentence.