Get Rich Quick: The Story of Charles Ponzi and the Different Schemes That Scammed Millions
People have been thinking up schemes to swindle each other since the dawn of time. The “shell game” for instance, also known as the “cup and balls routine”, was played in ancient Greece. Marks would be asked to place a bet on under which of three shells, or cups, a small ball was hidden – a simple gamble – only operators soon learned they could use sleight of hand to remove the ball as the shells were mixed and ensure they always took the money from their mark.
In mid-19th Century America, William “Samuel” Thompson would charm people into “showing their confidence” in him by leaving their cash or a valuable item in his care. Of course, he would simply leave with the goods and never return. Writer, Dr. James Houston, labeled Thompson a “Confidence Trickster” and so the term Confidence Man, Con Man, or Con Artist was born. You will of course recognize the name, Charles Ponzi, as one of the greatest con artists in history.
