A notorious con artist named Victor Lustig, who often went by the title "Count," is famous for selling the Eiffel Tower not once, but twice, as a scam.
- The First Scam: In 1925, Lustig learned of a public debate about the high maintenance costs of the Eiffel Tower, with rumors circulating that the city of Paris might be forced to dismantle it. Posing as a high-ranking government official, he gathered six of the city's top scrap metal dealers in a luxury hotel. He convinced them that the tower was to be sold for scrap and that he was tasked with finding a buyer discreetly. He accepted a large sum of money from one of the dealers and promptly fled. The humiliated dealer was too embarrassed to report the crime to the police.
- The Second Attempt: Seeing how easily the first scam had worked and having gotten away with it, Lustig decided to try the exact same con again with a new group of scrap metal dealers. Though not much is known about the second scam.
by acutepalepanda
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In the 1925 scam, Lustig singled out a man named André Poisson. Poisson was an ambitious man, but also somewhat insecure and eager to be accepted into the inner circle of Parisian high society. Lustig identified him as the perfect mark.
As he was finalizing the “deal” with Poisson, Lustig began to act hesitant. He expressed concern, not about the deal itself, but about his own position. He confessed that his official government salary was not enough to maintain the lifestyle he was expected to live, and that he was struggling to make ends meet. He was essentially hinting that he needed a bribe.
This was the pivotal moment. Poisson, who had been a bit wary of the deal, now was confirmed Lustig was really a government official.
Wasn’t there also a guy who sold the Brooklyn Bridge?
Quite funny that ”Lustig” means ”someone that is funny” in Swedish 🤣