Victor Lustig

Inside is $51,000 in counterfeit bills and the metal plates used to print them.

One of the agents looks him in the eye, and he says, quote, "Count, you're the smoothest con man that ever lived." His name, as far as anyone could ever prove, was Victor Lustig.

He used dozens of aliases and carried forged passports to match.

He swindled bankers, a sheriff, and one of the most dangerous mobsters in America, and none of them ever laid a hand on him.

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Today, I'm digging into the man some people call the greatest con artist who ever lived, Victor Lustig.

He had a skill unlike any other.

This is John Doremus with the Passing Parade of the story of a man who invented a money machine, a device for turning ordinary paper into genuine currency.

Con Victor Lustig was proud of the fact that to the best of his knowledge, he had never been party to an honest act in his entire life.

Honesty was his arch enemy.

Truth he despised.

Though he had lived in America all his life, Harry Bremner was of German descent and had decided German sympathies.

He owned a delicatessen on 34th Street and was doing remarkably well until fate brought him into contact with a man of similar origin and professed similar sympathies.

One Count Victor Lustig, who honored him with an invitation to his apartment for dinner.

After the meal, the count placed on the table before him a most unusual looking device.

Yeah, this is kind of why I backed out of it.

Carried out by the con artist Victor Lustig.

Let's be

fair to Victor Lustig.

Pun! Name pun! Victor Lustig? Yes.

Let's be fair to Victor Lustig.

Oh, we're

going to be late.

Yeah, there is something.

There's this guy, you know, this guy named Vister La- Victor Lustig.

He was a guy who was a prolific scammer, sold the Eiffel Tower.

Almost, almost sold it twice.