The text discusses various cases of ingenious crimes throughout history. It begins with the story of Gregor McGregor, a former soldier who created a fictional country called Poyais in the 19th century and convinced many people to invest in it, earning him the equivalent of $4.8 billion in today's money.
The text also mentions a man who tried to rob a hotel while wearing a bag over his head, but forgot to cut out holes for his eyes. Another example is the story of a man who convinced a businessman that he could sell him the Eiffel Tower, and then scammed Al Capone out of $50,000.
The text also touches on the topic of aerial piracy, mentioning the case of Dan Cooper, who hijacked a plane in 1971 and parachuted away with a ransom of $200,000. The FBI was unable to catch him and the case remains unsolved.
The text also discusses the use of animals in criminal plots, such as a cat that was used to smuggle mobile phones into a prison in Brazil. The text also mentions the use of pigeons to smuggle mobile phones and the use of animal DNA to solve crimes.
Finally, the text touches on the use of modern technology in crime-solving, including the use of Google Maps to catch a mafia boss who had been hiding for decades, and the use of Pokémon Go to catch a criminal who was playing the game at a police station. The text also mentions the use of dating sites and cryptocurrency mining in crime-solving.
1. In 1822, Gregor McGregor, a Scottish soldier, launched an advertising campaign for a country called Poyais, which did not exist.
2. McGregor convinced people to invest in Poyais by writing a guide and giving interviews.
3. 250 settlers arrived in Honduras, where McGregor had promised to establish Poyais, but they found nothing.
4. Less than 50 settlers survived, and the rest perished.
5. McGregor escaped to France, where he began promoting Poyais again.
6. In France, McGregor found new investors, but the authorities eventually suspected him.
7. McGregor moved to Venezuela, where he obtained citizenship and became a respected member of society.
8. In 2015, smugglers tried to pass a large shipment of cigarettes across the border by hiding them inside hollowed-out tree trunks.
9. The smugglers were caught by border guards, who found 25,000 packets of cigarettes hidden in 27 tons of wood.
10. In the 19th century, some people believed that individuals with high intelligence were more likely to commit crimes.
11. In 1925, a businessman was convinced by a scammer that he could buy the Eiffel Tower for a large bribe.
12. The scammer, who went by the name of André Poisson, was actually an official who had fabricated the deal.
13. Poisson convinced the businessman to give him the money for the tower and the bribe, and then he fled to Austria.
14. The businessman was too embarrassed to report the incident to the police.
15. In 1971, a man known as Dan Cooper hijacked a plane and demanded a ransom of $200,000.
16. Cooper parachuted out of the plane with the ransom money and was never caught.
17. The FBI investigated the case for 45 years but was unable to establish Cooper's true identity.
18. In the Middle Ages, churches and monasteries were considered sacred places where individuals could take refuge and avoid prosecution.
19. The "right of asylum" was a law that protected individuals who took refuge in these sacred places.
20. In recent years, animal DNA has been used to solve crimes in the United States and Canada.
21. For example, cat hair was used to identify a suspect in a murder case, and a cockatoo's DNA was used to identify a murderer.
22. Inmates in a Brazilian prison trained a cat to smuggle mobile phones and tools into the prison.
23. The cat was eventually caught, and the tools were confiscated.
24. Pigeons have been used to smuggle mobile phones into prisons in Brazil.
25. Listening devices have been planted in various animals, including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, raccoons, and squirrels.
26. In 2013, police created a fake online dating profile to catch a wanted criminal.
27. The police convinced the suspect to go on a blind date, where he was arrested instead.
28. In 2019, an Italian mafia boss was caught after being identified on Google Maps.
29. The mafia boss had been hiding for decades and was working as a chef in a restaurant.
30. Police used social media to catch a suspect who arrived at a police station playing Pokémon Go.