The Real Wolf of Wall Street

Jordan Belfort rises from outer borough striver to founding the firm Stratton Oakmont, notorious for its high-pressure phone sales, lavish pay days, and prostitute-and-drug-fueled parties. But as investors complain, the FBI takes notice.

By the mid-90s, Jordan Belfort is married to Nadine Caridi and earning millions, but his decadent lifestyle is taking a toll. Multiple government agencies are investigating. Unlike the movie, Belfort is forced out of his firm, and his life spirals.

As the FBI closes in, Belfort testifies against colleagues and gets a sweetheart sentence despite defrauding investors of $200 million. The film The Wolf of Wall Street then turns Jordan into an icon for wealth, debauchery, and the American Dream.