Contents
The Intriguing Story of the Eiffel Tower Sales
It may sound unbelievable, but there is actually a true story about a man who managed to sell the Eiffel Tower – not once, but twice! The man in question was Victor Lustig, a notorious con artist who became famous for his daring and creative scams in the early 20th century.
Lustig’s first attempt to sell the Eiffel Tower took place in 1925. He had carefully planned the scam, using forged government stationary and posing as a high-ranking government official. He managed to convince several scrap metal dealers that the Eiffel Tower was scheduled for demolition, and that he had the authority to sell it to them. In exchange for a sizable bribe, the dealers would receive the rights to dismantle the structure and sell off the metal for profit.
Amazingly, the scam was successful, and Lustig managed to walk away with a hefty sum of money. The news of the sale did not make headlines until several days later, by which time Lustig had made his escape to Austria. In the meantime, the embarrassed scrap metal dealers were too ashamed to come forward and report the crime.
FAQs about the Eiffel Tower Sales:
1. How did Lustig manage to convince the dealers to buy the Eiffel Tower?
Lustig was a master con artist who used his charm and intelligence to pull off the scam. He carefully researched his targets and knew how to exploit their weaknesses. By posing as a government official and playing on the dealers’ greed, he was able to persuade them to believe his story.
2. Did anyone ever find out the truth about the sale?
The scam eventually came to light, but by then Lustig had already fled the country. The embarrassed dealers were too ashamed to admit that they had been duped, so the news of the scam did not make headlines until several days after it had occurred.
3. What happened after the first sale was discovered?
After the scam became public knowledge, Lustig decided to lay low for a while to avoid drawing attention to himself. However, he couldn’t resist the temptation to try his luck again, and a few years later he attempted to pull off the same scam with another group of unsuspecting investors.
