It's become shorthand for someone being gullible, thinking they can buy the Brooklyn Bridge (and at a discount!). But the idea had to start somewhere. Turns out selling the bridge and other landmarks to those newly arrived on U.S. shores was a lucrative con in the early 1900s. But such cons are not sustainable, and eventually bad guys go to prison. 

<p>It's become shorthand for someone being gullible, thinking they can buy the Brooklyn Bridge (and at a discount!). But the idea had to start somewhere. Turns out selling the bridge and other landmarks to those newly arrived on U.S. shores was a lucrative con in the early 1900s. But such cons are not sustainable, and eventually bad guys go to prison.&nbsp;</p>

True Crime is more than blood, guts, mayhem, and murder. Zaron Burnett and Elizabeth Dutton share outlandish tales of capers, heists, and cons that shine a light on the absurd and outrageous side of criminality. Always 99% murder-free and 100% ridiculous, this is Ridiculous Crime, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

Ridiculous Crime

Welcome to America, Suckers: Selling the Brooklyn Bridge

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9824edce-0b71-43f2-94be-b3f501584462/transcript