The Incredible Story of the Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the World

In the annals of crime, there are few figures as enigmatic and fascinating as Victor Lustig. A master swindler who operated in the early 20th century, Lustig pulled off some of the most audacious cons in history, including selling the Eiffel Tower twice and conning Al Capone out of $50,000.

Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation

by Dean Jobb

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	14158 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	353 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Lustig was born in Austria-Hungary in 1890. As a young man, he showed a talent for languages and quickly mastered several. He also developed a keen understanding of human nature, which he would later use to his advantage as a con man.

Lustig's first major con was the sale of the Eiffel Tower. In 1925, he approached a group of scrap metal dealers and convinced them that he was an authorized representative of the French government. He told them that the Eiffel Tower was in need of repairs and that the government was selling it for scrap metal.

The scrap metal dealers were skeptical at first, but Lustig was persuasive. He showed them forged documents and even took them to the Eiffel Tower to inspect it. The dealers were eventually convinced and agreed to buy the tower for $250,000.

After the dealers had paid for the tower, Lustig disappeared. The dealers were furious when they realized they had been swindled, but they had no recourse. The French government had no record of any sale of the Eiffel Tower, and Lustig was nowhere to be found.

Lustig's next major con was the sale of a fake money-making machine. He approached a group of investors and convinced them that he had invented a machine that could print counterfeit money. He showed them a prototype of the machine, which was actually just a box with a few wires and gears inside.

The investors were impressed with the machine and agreed to buy it for $30,000. Lustig then disappeared with the money, leaving the investors with a worthless machine.

Lustig's cons were not limited to the United States. He also operated in Europe and South America, where he pulled off a variety of scams. He even conned Al Capone out of $50,000 in a fake real estate deal.

Lustig was eventually arrested in 1935 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He died in prison in 1947.

Victor Lustig was a master swindler who pulled off some of the most audacious cons in history. He was a brilliant manipulator who used his charm and intelligence to deceive his victims. His story is a fascinating tale of crime and deception that continues to captivate people to this day.

Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation

by Dean Jobb

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	14158 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	353 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE