How Did Aram Get $60 Million Dollars? The Full Story Behind His Shocking Heist

Hi there! As a huge fan of The Blacklist, I was absolutely floored when our beloved Aram Mojtabai stole $60 million right under the nose of master criminal Raymond “Red” Reddington. This was completely unexpected from the sweet, ethical Aram we‘ve grown to love over 9 seasons!

In this post, I‘ll give you the full scoop on exactly how and why Aram pulled off this daring theft. Strap in, because we have a lot to unpack!

A quick look at The Blacklist phenomenon

Before we dive into Aram‘s heist, let‘s recap what makes The Blacklist such an addictive, successful show.

Premiering in 2013 on NBC, The Blacklist is about the cat-and-mouse dynamic between FBI agents and Raymond “Red” Reddington, the FBI‘s #1 most wanted fugitive who mysteriously turns himself in offering to help catch deadly criminals using his expert criminal knowledge.

With over 150 episodes aired so far, The Blacklist has become a flagship show for NBC. While viewership has declined year-over-year, the show garners impressive numbers given its longevity. Even in its 9th season, it dominates Friday nights with more than 5 million live viewers.

The show‘s success stems not just from the intriguing premise, but its complex characters and outstanding cast. James Spader has won awards and acclaim for his spellbinding performance as “Red” Reddington. Equally beloved is Amir Arison as FBI tech wizard Aram Mojtabai.

Which brings us to…

Who is Aram Mojtabai?

Aram is the moral compass of the FBI task force, using his genius-level intellect to take down Blacklisters. Here are some key facts about Aram:

• Played by Amir Arison since 2013 and featured in 150+ episodes
• An FBI agent specializing in computer hacking, decryption, gadgets, and all things tech
• Boyish charm and unwavering loyalty to the team. Wisecracks to cut tension.
• Morally rigid and law-abiding, often apprehensive about “Gray” tactics
• Lost his girlfriend Samar who left him and the task force to battle a brain disorder
• Formed deep bonds with Reddington and Elizabeth Keen over the years
• Salary estimated around $50-80k based on typical FBI tech roles

Aram is truly the heart of the team. But what could drive him to betray Reddington? Keep reading!

Why Aram was motivated to steal from Reddington

Aram has faced many challenges during his FBI career, but losing his new love Elodie was the final straw. Here‘s what pushed him over the edge:

• Losing Elodie – Aram was crushed when Elodie, whom he planned to propose to, had to return to her comatose husband after he miraculously awoke. This devastated Aram, feeling he had lost his chance at love again.
• Samar‘s Return – Adding insult to injury, Aram‘s emotions spiral when former flame Samar Navabi suddenly resurfaces cured of her illness. Despite still having feelings, he remains loyal to Elodie and asks Samar to let him move on.
• Red‘s Callous Reaction – When Aram tries to open up about his relationship woes, Reddington responds with blunt indifference, caring only about the current threat they face. This callous reaction showed Aram he was expendable.
• Disillusioned by the FBI – After witnessing rampant corruption allowing blackmailer Tyson Pryor to extort FBI agents, Aram lost faith in the entire system. He felt it hypocritical to continue hunting criminals like Reddington.

With his relationships shattered and now seeing Reddington and the FBI as morally bankrupt, Aram snapped.

As profiler Dr. Sharon Wilcox insinuates Aram may harbor resentment towards Reddington, it pushes Aram over the edge to feel justified stealing the $60 million as overdue payback.

This was no rash crime of passion, however. Aram executed an intricate plan befitting his genius…

How Aram cleverly pulled off the $60 million heist

While totally out of character, Aram used his skills to smoothly divert the millions from Red‘s accounts:

• Exploiting Authorized Access – Aram leveraged his approved access to Red‘s closed network of shell companies and offshore accounts gained from assisting Red‘s operations.
• Creating Ghost Account – He established an untraceable account mimicking one in Red‘s network for the funds to be transferred undetected.
• Delaying Discovery – Aram continued running algorithms and transactions to mask monetary loss from Red‘s forensic accountants.
• Rerouting Transactions – He rerouted payments from Red‘s clients to his ghost account to further obscure audit trails.
• Securing the Funds – Aram then initiated an untraceable wire of the $60 million into an unknown bank under an alias he created.

Aram implemented these steps slowly over time and avoided tripwires to evade notice by paranoid Reddington. But he made one mistake…

The loose thread that unraveled Aram‘s scheme

While Aram was meticulous in covering his digital tracks, he left one physical loose end that gave him away – the bank manager who assisted with his alias account.

When Red eventually discovered $60 million missing, he surmised only an insider could pull this off. Reddington ruthlessly interrogated all of his bankers globally until one manager admitted being approached to open an anonymous account.

Unbeknownst to Aram, the manager had snapped a photo of Aram per bank policy. This photo was the smoking gun Red needed confirming Aram had brazenly ripped him off.

Confronted with the evidence, Aram comes clean to Red about the theft but refuses to reveal where he stashed the money. For once, Aram feels free of Red‘s hold over him and the broken system they serve.

But the real question is – how does Aram get away with betraying the notorious “Concierge of Crime”?

What could happen next after Aram‘s stunning betrayal?

While Aram has the upper hand for now, I see a few possible outcomes for our beloved agent:

• Aram goes rogue – He leaves the task force for good and starts a new life with the $60 million. But he‘ll constantly be looking over his shoulder fearing Red‘s vengeful wrath.
• Aram caves to Red – Unable to withstand Red‘s intimidation tactics, he relinquishes the money. Red likely forgives Aram given their history and Aram sticks with the task force.
• A hostage trade – Red kidnaps someone close to Aram in exchange for the money‘s location. This allows Aram to keep some money and salvage their relationship.
• Red has Aram killed – If Aram refuses to budge, an enraged Reddington may decide he‘s too liability and order hisdeath. I don‘t want to think about losing Aram!

Personally, I think Reddington‘s fondness for Aram will prevail and he‘ll find a way to put this betrayal behind them. Red understands what drove Aram to the dark side. But Aram crossing this line will have huge repercussions…

The implications of Aram‘s shocking actions

While totally surprising, Aram‘s bold heist will impact the show‘s future in major ways:

• It shows that even “boy scout” Aram can be driven to criminal acts when pushed too far.
• The theft destroys the task force‘s fundamental trust in Aram. How does he come back from this?
• For the first time, Aram now holds power over Reddington by denying him the money‘s location. The power dynamic has shifted.
• Their close bond is fractured, perhaps permanently. Red does not tolerate disloyalty.
• Aram is now a cyber criminal on the opposite side of the law he swore to uphold. This could force him to leave the task force.
• With $60 million offshore, Aram has the means to walk away from the chaos of the blacklist and start fresh.

I believe this stunning move sets the stage for a dramatic shift in Aram‘s character arc and future with Reddington and the task force. The “white knight” Aram we knew is gone. Will he emerge stronger or be left in ruins?

The possibilities have me anxiously counting down the days until season 10! I‘d love to hear your thoughts on Aram‘s crazy heist and what you think happens next. Let me know in the comments!