How US politicians become filthy rich

Here's how you can get fillthy rich while you're in office or after leaving office (ideas are derived from the video - see link below).  The first figure is the politician's worth at the time he/she entered office and the second is their wealth on leaving office (note the second is massively larger than the former):

Shelby $200K - $20m
Turn your wife and children into lobbyists paid by businesses that will directly benefit from legislation you pass
Invest in those companies. then give government contracts to them
Buy properties located near government development sites before you award contracts to develop those sites.
Use blind trusts and third parties to technically remain disconnected from investments that will gain in value from your policies and political work.

Pelosi $2m to $120m+
If asked how you become so wealthy, claim stock-picking talent or just plain good luck with investment timing, e.g., buying Microsoft shares just before it got a $22bn government contract, or buying VISA during legislation affecting it.
Get your spouse to run a VC firm to invest in businesses that will benefit from favourable legislation you will pass.
Be a master at deflecting searching questions about wealth accumulation while in office and on a modest salary.
MAINTAIN "PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY"

McConnell $100K to $35m
Take a financial gift from your spouse ($25m). to be repaid by appointing your wife as transportation secretary, so she can directly influence the fortunes of shipping businesses owned by her family.
Resist or support legislation that will benefit businesses you have invested in.

Feinstein $3m - $90m
Get your husband's investment company to invest in businesses (investee businesses) you regulate and which will be awarded contracts by you, e.g., $billions of conracts awarded to investee companies by US postal service - contracts overseen by you.  If pressed, claim the gain in value of investments by your husband in companies subsequently awarded contracts by you, was PURE COINCIDENCE
Support an organisation, such as FDIC, and expect a payback from it for your support - such as the organisation awarding your husband an exclusive contract (FDIC subsequently awarded the husband an exclusive contract to sell possessed properties-earning him >$100m in commissions).
If investigated, claim government work you did was kept separate from your spouse's investment business.

The get rich model is: the politician makes the policies, the spouse makes the profits.

Clintons $700K - $120m
After govt office, claim speaking fees from companies that did or will benefit from your policies.
Start a Foundation to collect money from foreign govts or corporations seeking political favours.

Receive donations from companies that will benefit from you, e.g., Clintons received $millions from mining companies ahead of H Clinton approving their sale to Russia. and Clintons got a donation from UBS ahead of H Clinton sorting out UBS's tax problem.
If questioned about personal wealth creation while in office, deflect by talking of 'global initiatives and charitable work' you do, and maintain plausible deniability.

Corker $4m+ - $69m
Create complexity and financial wizardry to confuse and delay investigators.  Claim 'lucky timing' when asked about stock price gains of companies you invest in, that benefit from your policies.
Claim "accounting oversight" if a journalist spots earnings from your investments that you did not report previously. Buy land ahead of awarding a contract to erect a factory on nearby land that is bound to send property prices through the roof.
Brag openly about having business acumen if questioned about your wealth increases while in office.  Revise your disclosures multiple times, if you are investigated.

Gingrich $400K - $9m
After office, become a consultant for companies that benefitted from your policies and actions while you were in office.
Perfect the art of 'influence peddling without technically lobbying'
Establish a think tank to collect fees from companies you supported while in office, e.g. $300K fee for being a historian for Freddie MAC
Charge corporations for access to your network of contacts.
Arrange book deals, speaking tours, and provide 'strategic advice' to those willing to pay.
Cultivate your political brand
 
Reid $1m - >$10m
Buy cheap land that will increase in value from policies you pass, e.g., $1m earned from land transferred to a friend of yours, even though you did not own the land you transferred.
Get the family to work as lobbyists for companies that will gain from policies you push.
Keep transactions "just legal enough to avoid consequences" from investigations, and always claim "pure coincidence" when asked how your personal investments aligned perfectly with your political policies.

Menendez £200K - $
When accepting bribes, accept gold bars, cash, cars or offers to pay your mortgage payments. Get your wife appointed to the company seeking political favours from you.  Accept gifts from foreign governments.
Refuse to resign, even when the evidence against you is 'overwhelming'

Blunt $1m - $>8m
Establish a family business where the family work as lobbyists for companies you support, e.g., get the wife to lobby for Kraft Foods while you block food safety regulations. Buy property near government developments you approve.
Readily ignore the spirit of conflict of interest rules but be technically compliant with those rules.
Always deny any connection between winning votes and your family's enrichment.
Keep politics in the family, i.e., enlist your family members so you become rich while in office.
Deflect criticism by pointing the finger at opponents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAFZsfBfs08