Victor Lustig3.pdf

Robert V. Miller A.K.A Count Victor Lustig

Background: 

Born in Bohemia, now Czech Republic

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Born to upper-middle class family

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Father was mayor of small town Hostinne, Czechoslovakia

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Studied languages and people, mostly their habits, mannerisms, and weaknesses

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Skipped classes in University of Paris

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Gambled in poker, bridge, and billiards

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Received scar on his face by a jealous man who thought Lustig payed too much attention to his girlfriend

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Became a confirmed conman (def. a person who is good at executing scams or fraudulent schemes) at twenty

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Left school to commit petty crimes across Europe

Newspaper about Lustig’s arrest Crimes He Committed: 

Started conning career by going on pleasure cruises. He pretended to be a Broadway producer and convinced the wealthy to invest in non-existent productions.

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Conned Al Capone, most dangerous gangster at the time.

o He asked for $50,000 to pull off a scheme. Capone gave him the money and a death warning. Lustig let the money sit for two months, and then came back to tell Capone the scheme fell through. Just before Capone was about to kill him, Lustig gave him the money back. Impressed by his “honesty”, Capone gave Lustig several grand, which is just what Lustig was waiting for. 

Most famous for selling the Eiffel Tower twice

o First time, the government was planning on ripping down the Eiffel Tower. Lustig forged government credentials and put up a private auction to “sell” the Eiffel Tower for scrap metal. He chose the most gullible bidder and made off with the cash. The victim was too embarrassed to turn him in. o He did the same scam a second time, but the victim this time went to the police. Lustig had to flee to the U.S.

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Made a Rumanian Box (“money-duplicating machine”). Installed custom-made gears and levers on a cabinet and auctioned it off.

o He put a thousand-dollar bill in the box, said it took six hours to duplicate, and took out two $1,000 bills-the one that he put in and another he hid in the box before the bidders arrived. He figured he had six hours to escape after he sold the device. Did this several times.

Lustig’s Money Machine Final Crime: 

After Lustig created hundreds of thousands of counterfeit (def. made in exact imitation of something valuable or important with the intention to deceive or defraud) dollars, the Secret Service started to get on his case. Lustig at the time was cheating on his girlfriend. Jealous and enraged, she called the Secret Service to expose Lustig’s whereabouts. He was caught and sent to jail before receiving a trial. The day before his trial, he used knotted bedsheets to escape from his cell. He pretended to be a window washer to avoid suspicion. He was caught a few days later and was put on trial, where he pleaded guilty.

o A sheriff that he paid counterfeit money to was arrested for using counterfeit money. He described Lustig to the police, and then the Secret Service found him matching the description with a moustache. o The Secret Service found a key in Lustig’s wallet that lead to a locker filled with his counterfeit bills.

o The locker also contained the plates used to print the counterfeit money, to further prove that he made the money as opposed to just using it.

Lustig’s counterfeit dollar Sentence: He was sentenced to 20 years in Alcatraz, where he died of illness. Quotes: (To Secret Service) “You have conned me.” He also made The Ten Commandments for Con Men 1.

Be a patient listener (it is this, not fast talking, that gets a con-man his coups).

2.

Never look bored.

3.

Wait for the other person to reveal any political opinions, then agree with them.

4.

Let the other person reveal religious views, then have the same ones.

5.

Hint at sex talk, but don’t follow it up unless the other fellow shows a strong interest.

6.

Never discuss illness, unless some special concern is shown.

7.

Never pry into a person’s personal circumstances (they’ll tell you all eventually).

8.

Never boast. Just let your importance be quietly obvious.

9.

Never be untidy.

10.Never get drunk. Nickname: Robert Miller went under many aliases for scams, but his favorite and most famous one was Count Victor Lustig.

Victor Lustig follows the Anomie Theory. He is in the Innovation Subcategory. This means he is achieving culturallydefined goals through illegitimate means. His goal was to make a lot of money. He definitely achieved this goal before being sent to Alcatraz. He was imprisoned because this fiscal goal was met through scamming and forgery. He was raised in a nice house with a nice family. He could not have been a part of the Conflict or Labeling Theory because he was among those in power. He was always a charming trickster, so the Social Control and Differential-Association theories did not fit either. He was trying to reach a goal, and he did it illegally. He made millions of dollars as a con artist. Therefore, the Innovation way underneath Anomie Theory makes the most sense. Victor Lustig’s reasons fit this theory perfectly.

copy of Lustig’s arrest report