Member-only story

Victor Lustig: The Man Who Conned the World

José Martí

·8.3k Followers· Follow

Published in Christopher Sandford

4 min read · 3 weeks before

749 View Claps

54 Respond

Save

Listen

Victor Lustig was a con man, a swindler, and a thief. He was also one of the most successful criminals of all time.

Lustig was born in Austria-Hungary in 1890. He began his criminal career as a pickpocket, but he quickly moved on to more ambitious scams.

Victor Lustig: The Man Who Conned the World

by Christopher Sandford

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4609 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	245 pages

In 1925, Lustig pulled off one of his most famous cons. He sold the Eiffel Tower to a scrap metal dealer for $500,000.

Lustig's scam was simple. He forged a letter from the French government, claiming that the Eiffel Tower was being sold for scrap. He then approached several scrap metal dealers, offering them the tower for a fraction of its actual value.

One of the dealers, Andre Poisson, fell for Lustig's scam. He paid Lustig $500,000 for the tower. Lustig then disappeared with the money.

Lustig's Eiffel Tower scam was just one of many. He also sold the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the Panama Canal.

Lustig was eventually caught and imprisoned. He spent the rest of his life in jail, but he never stopped dreaming of new scams.

Victor Lustig was a master con man. He was able to deceive people from all walks of life, including some of the world's most powerful and wealthy people.

Lustig's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and credulity. It is also a fascinating look into the mind of one of the most successful criminals of all time.

Lustig's Methods

Lustig was a master of the con game. He used a variety of techniques to deceive his victims, including:

Forging documents. Lustig was a master forger. He could create fake passports, letters, and other documents that looked authentic.
Impersonating officials. Lustig often impersonated government officials or other authority figures. He used this to gain the trust of his victims and to make them more likely to believe his scams.
Using flattery. Lustig was a charming man. He could easily win people over with his flattery and charisma.
Preying on greed. Lustig's scams often appealed to the greed of his victims. He promised them easy money or other rewards that they could not resist.

Lustig's methods were so effective that he was able to con some of the world's most powerful and wealthy people. He even managed to con Al Capone, the notorious gangster.

Lustig's Legacy

Victor Lustig was a criminal, but he was also a master of his craft. His story is a fascinating look into the mind of a con man and a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and credulity.

Lustig's legacy lives on today. His name is synonymous with con games and scams. He is also the inspiration for several books, movies, and television shows.

If you are ever approached by someone who is offering you a too-good-to-be-true deal, remember the story of Victor Lustig. It is always better to be safe than sorry.