She IS a career criminal. Her 1000 dollar into 100,000 dollar "investment" is an example of that. According to the rules of the Commodities market that is a physical impossibility. It's amazing what you can get away with when you have friends in low places.
I have to agree with Grump here believe it or not. That's because I spent several years in commodities and understand what it's all about.
I never studied how Hil-Liar made that kind of money, but it's not unheard of in the commodities market. I suspect that she did is what so many others do, and that's called reverse pyramiding.
In commodities, when you make money, you don't have to sell your commodity to have it put in your account. It's considered yours which is just the opposite of the stock market. In the stock market, you have to sell your shares in order for the profit to go into your account.
So if she bought (let's say) two contracts of cattle, and that price went up to where she doubled her money, she can keep those contracts and with the profit she made, buy two more contracts. Now she has four contracts, and the same thing happens. Instead of collecting the money, she buys four more and now has eight contracts. And so on, and so on.........
I find it hard to believe she was that good at it right from the beginning. Most studies suggest you "paper trade" before you buy anything, that is to say, use monopoly money and call the shots to see how you do before you use real money. It takes a lot of practice.
So I kind of agree with you in a way, I do think she had some help, but nothing illegal.