Thérèse Humbert, Con Woman
Story with pix here.
In 1902, a political and financial scandal rocked the French nation when it was discovered that Madame Thérèse Humbert (née Aurignac), daughter-in-law of the deceased Minister of Justice, had swindled nearly 100 million francs from the French government and its citizens over twenty years. How did this woman, who was not particularly beautiful, educated, or well born, manage to defraud scores of people, ranging from the brightest and sophisticated of French society to the simplest?
Contemporary article on their capture.
Read a review of the book here, which contains a good synopsis of the case.
Comments
It reminds me of Popeye's friend Wimpy, who would always promise "I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."
Posted by KDP on 11/24/18 at 10:31 AM
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Category: Crime | Frauds, Cons and Scams | Europe | Twentieth Century