Ideas For Robbing My Own Event

[Lestrange]

I've invited all the nobles and merchants of the town to this extravagant ball, but not out of the goodness of my heart. My plan is to relieve them of a sizable amount of money, hopefully without letting them know about it. My apprentice is practicing her pickpocketing skills, but I'd like to focus on something more complex, perhaps setting up a few cons that could make me some money, or playing people off each other to gain some blackmail/political capital.
The problem is, I don't really know how to do any of these things. I'm looking for some ideas of schemes and cons that I could pull off, or maybe there's some other opportunity that I've missed. What would you do if you knew the rich people were all going to be in one room, possibly a bit drunk?
I can get access to a bit of magic from my Evoker friend, but mostly I'll be relying on mundane methods.
Thanks! I look forward to hearing your ideas.

[TheYell]

Since they know where you live, do everything through a proxy. And pretend to be taken in by the con yourself.

When the mob ran crooked card games in NY they used to bring the marks to a wiseguy's apartment where somebody other than the wiseguy won the card game, and the wiseguy pretended to be a heavy loser.

Then he'd secretly meet with the card sharp and take the bulk of the winnings.

Using magic, maybe rig a roulette wheel. Again, come up a loser in public, and pay the winner a percentage as a fee and pocket the rest.

[EvilAnagram]

Off the top of my head...


Pretend you're raising money for charity.
Pull a Scientology and start a church for rich people.
Get them to invest in a fake venture. Maybe a silver mine whose metals have magical properties that make enchanting items easier.
Murder them all and take their stuff.

[Emay Ecks]

They (and probably their bodyguards) are at your party. Have a third party rob all their houses and split the take with you. If you want something more subtle you could pull each guest aside to a dark corner and try to convince them that there is a great threat to the kingdom and that they can fund the adventuring party to deal with it. Get every nobleman/merchant to fund your quest, and then skip town.

[Unoriginal]

Have someone put on a crazy costume and literally rob the event?

[Lord8Ball]

Spike everyone's drinks to get them high so that it would be easier to pickpocket or play it off as accidentally bumping into them.