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Jason Lefkowitz

He's best known for successfully conning a mark into buying the Eiffel Tower, but my favorite story about legendary con man Victor Lustig has always been his "magic money box."

smithsonianmag.com/history/the

Born in Austria-Hungary in 1890, Lustig became fluent in several languages, and when he decided to see the world he thought: Where better to make money than aboard ocean liners packed with wealthy travelers? Charming and poised at a young age, Lustig spent time making small talk with successful businessmen—and sizing up potential marks. Eventually, talk turned to the source of the Austrian’s wealth, and reluctantly he would reveal that he had been using a “money box.” Eventually, he would agree to show the contraption privately. He just happened to be traveling with it. It resembled a steamer trunk, crafted of mahogany but fitted with sophisticated-looking printing machinery within. Lustig would demonstrate the money box by inserting an authentic hundred-dollar bill, and after a few hours of “chemical processing,” he’d extract two seemingly authentic hundred-dollar bills. He had no trouble passing them aboard the ship. It wasn’t long before his wealthy new friends would inquire as to how they too might be able to come into possession of a money box. Reluctantly again, the Count would consider parting with it if the price was right. Lustig was, if nothing else, patient and cautious. He would usually end up parting with the device for the sum of $10,000—sometimes two and three times that amount. He would pack the machine with several hundred-dollar bills, and after any last-minute suspicions had been allayed through successful test runs, the Count would disappear.
16 March at 17:27 | Open on vmst.io
9 comments
Jason Lefkowitz

How the above analogizes to modern AI companies I leave as an exercise for the reader

16 March at 17:28 | Open on vmst.io
Jason Lefkowitz

Here is an article focusing specifically on the mechanics of the "Magic Money Box" con, by R. Paul Wilson of the BBC series "The Real Hustle."

casino.org/blog/lustigs-money-

16 March at 17:38 | Open on vmst.io
Jason Lefkowitz

As always, if you have any interest whatsoever in old-timey con games, I will recommend that you drop whatever less important thing you happen to be doing at the moment and go find a copy of David Maurer's classic 1940 book "The Big Con."

goodreads.com/book/show/403452

16 March at 17:44 | Open on vmst.io
Rob Christopher

@jalefkowit I've read it twice! Great stuff.

16 March at 17:46 | Open on mstdn.social
Jason Lefkowitz

If nothing else, "The Big Con" will introduce you to a surprisingly long list of Kids.

jasonlefkowitz.net/2015/02/kid

16 March at 17:47 | Open on vmst.io
scmbradley

@jalefkowit and also, if you haven't seen it, watch The Sting.

16 March at 17:48 | Open on mathstodon.xyz
Jason Lefkowitz

@Scmbradley A movie so heavily inspired by Maurer's book that he sued them over it 😆

(Still a great movie though, I second the recommendation)

Academic David Maurer sued for plagiarism, claiming the screenplay was based too heavily on his 1940 book The Big Con, about real-life tricksters Fred and Charley Gondorff. Universal settled out of court for $600,000, irking Ward, who resented the presumption of guilt implied by an out-of-court settlement done for business expediency.
16 March at 17:50 | Open on vmst.io
scmbradley

@jalefkowit I did not know that, but for a movie about sneaky theft, it is at least on brand.

16 March at 17:52 | Open on mathstodon.xyz
Eve 😘📚

@jalefkowit Smoke (con) ‘em (credulous wealthy marks) if you got ‘em.

16 March at 17:38 | Open on toot.cat
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