A person who illegally makes, sells, or distributes alcohol or other forbidden goods, especially during Prohibition in the United States.
From 'bootleg,' originally referring to liquor smuggled in the legs of boots. The '-er' suffix creates an agent noun for someone who performs this action.
During American Prohibition (1920-1933), bootleggers became like celebrities—Al Capone ran an empire that made him as rich as legitimate business owners, showing how laws creating scarcity make criminals wealthy!
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