The Original Scam: Charles Ponzi and the Coupon Scheme

Episode 360 December 05, 2025 00:31:57
The Original Scam: Charles Ponzi and the Coupon Scheme
The Skillful Art Of Manipulation | Mastering Psychology & Influence
The Original Scam: Charles Ponzi and the Coupon Scheme

Dec 05 2025 | 00:31:57

/

Show Notes

This nonfiction forensic series follows the rise and collapse of Charles Ponzi’s scheme in Boston during nineteen twenty. It opens with the packed crowds outside 27 School Street as ordinary workers and immigrant families arrive believing they have found a rare chance to double their savings. The chapters move through Ponzi’s early struggles, his discovery of international postal reply coupons, and the explosive growth of his investment company as thousands trust his promise of fifty percent returns in forty five days.

The story tightens as bankers, reporters, and state officials begin to question the math behind Ponzi’s claims. When the Boston Post publishes its investigations and auditors uncover massive shortfalls, the structure collapses. The series ends with Ponzi’s arrest, guilty plea, deportation, and the aftermath faced by investors. It shows how a single promise reshaped a city and left behind a new term that defined financial fraud for generations.

Other Episodes

Episode

February 25, 2026 00:12:12
Episode Cover

Everything Was Proper. That’s Why It Worked

She believed in systems—politeness, documentation, restraint. In doing things the right way. At a conservative Toronto firm, those beliefs made her reliable, invisible, and...

Listen

Episode

August 08, 2025 00:57:37
Episode Cover

Escaping Emotional Coercion: Intimacy Challenges in Manipulation

In this episode, we delve into the harrowing effects of emotional coercion within romantic relationships. It’s a journey that challenges the notion of love...

Listen

Episode 390

December 31, 2025 00:20:02
Episode Cover

The Tinder Swindler: Shimon Hayut’s Luxury Love Scam

A three-chapter true-crime narrative examining how Shimon Hayut, posing as a wealthy diamond mogul, used dating apps to manufacture intimacy, stage danger, and extract...

Listen