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In part 1 of "The Great Eiffel Tower Swindle" Jennie and Dianne share the humble beginnings of a man who became known as one of the world's greatest swindlers, Victor "The Count" Lustig; and left listeners hanging after recounting his notorious first sale of the Eiffel Tower in 1925. In part 2 the ladies follow Lustig's escape from authorities in Paris and his return to the US to continue his life of crime and cons, only to be brought down by one of his greatest weaknesses...an Ordinary Extraordinary woman!
Available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mFb3MLHqqXU?si=buZwcgG6kJtYpNGl
Ticket link to the 35th Annual Cemetery Crawl at Central City's IOOF Cemetery: Gilpin Historical Society 35th Annual Cemetery Crawl: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-35th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-934551547837?aff=ebdsshother&utm_share_source=listing_android
Tickets for the 4th annual Beyond the Grave: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-mary-shelleys-frankenstein-tickets-986081605627
Photo of Lustig grave by: Rick Gleason and posted to: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176656691/victor-lustig#view-photo=152334006
Resources used to research this episode include: Various news articles found on www.newspapers.com & documents from www.ancestry.com
Laidlaw, Katherine. "The con man who sold the Eiffel Tower — twice ." https://thehustle.co/. 15 Mar. 2024. thehustle.co/originals/the-con-man-who-sold-the-eiffel-tower-twice-1. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.
King, Gilbert. "The Smoothest Con Man That Ever Lived ." https://www.smithsonianmag.com/. 22 Aug. 2012. www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-smoothest-con-man-that-ever-lived-29861908/. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.
Linning, Stephanie . "The man who conned the world ." https://www.dailymail.co.uk/. 12 Aug. 2021. www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9880185/The-man-conned-world-Audacious-scams-career-criminal-Victor-Lustig-told-new-book.html. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.
Malvenuti, Edorardo. "Victor Lustig, the Bohemian Scarlet Pimpernel." https://www.progetto.cz/. 27 Oct. 2020. www.progetto.cz/victor-lustig-la-primula-rossa-boema/?lang=en#:~:text=A%20savoir%20faire%20blending%20with,end%20Victor%20Lustig's%20maritime%20adventure. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.
Sanford, Christopher . The Man Who Conned the World Victor Lustig. 1st ed., 2022. Gloucestershire, The History Press, 2022, pp. 1 - 320.
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