Quote from KINGOFSHORTS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Lustig
Victor Lustig was born in Hostinne, Czech Republic, but soon headed to The West. He was a glib and charming conman, fluent in multiple languages.[1] He established himself by working scams on the ocean liners steaming between Paris and New York City.[1]
One of Lustig's trademark cons involved a "money-printing machine". He would demonstrate the capability of the small box to clients, all the while lamenting that it took the device six hours to copy a $100 bill. The client, sensing huge profits, would buy the machines for a high price, usually over $30,000. Over the next twelve hours, the machine would produce two more $100 bills. After that, it produced only blank paper, as its supply of $100 bills became exhausted. By the time the clients realized that they had been scammed, Lustig was long gone.[2]
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