He Sold the Eiffel Tower… And Got Away With It.

He sold the Eiffel Tower—and got away with it. In 1925, a master con man convinced buyers it was being scrapped. This true story reveals how confidence scams work… and why no one reported it. In one of history’s boldest cons, Victor Lustig didn’t just trick a man—he created a situation where the victim couldn’t afford to admit the truth. The result? A perfect confidence game that succeeded not just because of deception… but because of human nature. This episode explores how trust is built, how opportunity can cloud judgment, and why sometimes the cost of admitting a mistake is greater than the loss itself. If you enjoy thoughtful, true stories that reveal how we think—and how we get things wrong—consider subscribing and exploring more episodes from An Ounce. If you value clear, honest storytelling about real events and the patterns behind them, you’re always welcome to

You can listen to He Sold the Eiffel Tower… And Got Away With It. online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

He Sold the Eiffel Tower… And Got Away With It. is an episode from An Ounce by Jim Fugate.

This episode is 4:37 long.

This episode was published on Apr 29, 2026.

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