A tower for sale
In 1925, Victor Lustig read a newspaper article in Paris: maintaining the Eiffel Tower was causing problems. Lustig posed as deputy director-general of the Ministry of Posts and invited six scrap dealers to a confidential meeting at the elegant Hôtel de Crillon.
The perfect buyer
7,000tonnesof iron – roughly what the tower weighs
The state wanted to sell the costly tower for scrap, Lustig explained, but it had to stay secret. His victim: André Poisson, an insecure man who wanted to rise into better circles. Lustig played the corrupt official, and Poisson paid a bribe plus the purchase price. Lustig fled to Austria.
Your guess
Why didn't Poisson go to the police?
Once more – and then Alcatraz
Lustig tried again with new dealers. This time the police heard about it, and he fled to the US. There, counterfeit money brought him down: in 1935 he was convicted and served time on Alcatraz. His death certificate later listed his occupation as apprentice salesman and counterfeiter.
