The Witless Minions were formerly a group of thugs who worked for supervillains.
While pretending to be loyal but dim-witted lackeys, they would actually rob their employers blind. Any time the villains noticed stuff missing, they would claim that a hero had taken it. On several occasions, they ended up killing the supervillain employing them.
The group met its end while working for the supervillain Willy Pete. Willy Pete realized that the Witless Minions were stealing from him and slaughtered them in retribution; only Thugboy was able to escape alive.