"I went looking for trouble and I found it." -- Charles Ponzi (3/3/1882 - 2/18/1949), the infamous swindler and con man whose pyramid swindle became widely known as the "Ponzi scheme,"quoted by biographer Mitchell Zuckoff. By bringing in initial investors with promises of huge returns, he had to use new investors' money to pay them, eventually causing the con to collapse as later investors didn't receive the returns promised.
Today's con men operate other rackets: insurance fraud, bank fraud, bribery and tax evasion, often using non-disclosure agreements to cover up their crimes. One very dangerous one in particular has an army of lawyers to defend him, using political cowards to vouch for him, and a blind cult that he's managed to con for many years into believing his dangerous, outrageous lies. He was once President through a quirk in our electoral system, and threatens to return again and take revenge on those who are finally bringing him to justice....if voters allow him.
(photo: Bettman Archives / Getty Images)
