laugh (or cry) all the way to the bank relish (or deplore) the fact that you are making a great deal of money, especially undeservedly or at the expense of others. informal

☞ The original form of the phrase is cry all the way to the bank, which started life as an ironic observation by the flamboyant US pianist Liberace (1919–87), weighing the size of his takings against the low opinion of the critics.

1956Daily Mirror On the occasion in New York at a concert in Madison Square Garden when he had the greatest reception of his life and the critics slayed him mercilessly, Liberace said: 'The take was terrific but the critics killed me. My brother George cried all the way to the bank.'

2013Idiot SavantNo Right Turn We should be demanding not just stronger safety practices, but also upfront liability bonds and insurance: so these scum can't ruin our environment, then laugh all the way to the bank.