He’s synonymous with fraud today, but the most famous scheme Charles Ponzi pulled in his lifetime was surprisingly short-lived. 

Research:
"Charles Ponzi Cheats Thousands in Investment Scheme, 1919-1920." Historic U.S. Events, Gale, 2012. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/BT2359030095/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=2fa9c993. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.
"Ponzi Scheme." Gale Encyclopedia of American Law, edited by Donna Batten, 3rd ed., vol. 8, Gale, 2010, pp. 32-35. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX1337703388/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=156ed9f9. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.
"Ponzi, Charles." Encyclopedia of World Biography, edited by James Craddock, 2nd ed., vol. 34, Gale, 2014, pp. 291-294. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3788300138/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=b742c693. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.
Baldwin, Herbert L. “Canadian ‘Ponsi’ Served Jail Term – Montreal Police, Jail Warden and Others Declare That Charles Ponzi of Boston and Charles Ponsi of Montreal Who Was Sentenced to Two and a Half years in Jail for Forgery on Italian Bank Are One And Same Man.” Boston Post. 8/11/1920. p. 1, 18.
Boston Post. “Arrest in Ponzi Case May Be Made Today.” 8/12/1920. p.1, 22.
Boston Post. “Boston Man Is Sued For $1,000,000.” 7/4/1920. p. 3.
Boston Post. “Both Barron and Ponzi Give Talk.” 7/31/1920. p. 3.
Boston Post. “Doubles Your Money in 90 days – 50 P.C. in 45.” 7/24/1920. p. 1, 4.
Boston Post. “Entire Issue of Coupons Last Year Only $60,000.” 8/4/1920. p. 6.
Boston Post. “Federal Officials Scout Ponzi Claim.” 7/31/2910. p. 1, 2.
Boston Post. “Financial Editors Notes.” 7/26/1920. p. 13.
Boston Post. “Great Run on Ponzi Continues Until Office Is Closed For Day.” 8/3/1920. p. 1, 2.
Boston Post. “Million Is Paid Back by Ponzi.” 7/28/1920. p. 1, 24.
Boston Post. “Officials Balked by Ponzi Puzzle.” 7/30/1920. p. 1, 11.
Boston Post. “Ponzi Books In Hands of U.S. Auditor.” 7/31/1920. p. 1, 2.
Boston Post. “Ponzi Closes; Not Likely to Resume.” 7/26/1920. p. 1, 7.
Boston Post. “Ponzi Relates Story of His Life.” 8/9/1920. p. 16.
Boston Post. “Questions the Motive Behind Ponzi Scheme.” 7/26/1920. p. 1, 6.
Boston Post. “Seeking Source of Big Profits.” 7/28/1920.  p. 20.
Boston Post. “Uncle Sam to Get the Facts of Ponzi’s Case.” 7/29/1920. p. 1, 24.
Boston Sunday Post. “Ponzi Has a Rival Next Door to Him.” 7/25/1920. p. 1, 15.
Darby, Mary. “In Ponzi We Trust.” Smithsonian. 12/1998. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-ponzi-we-trust-64016168/
Kerr, Jessie-Lynne. “Ponzi lived here: Infamous name tied to scheme was local.” Florida Times-Union. 12/21/2008. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/2008/12/22/ponzi-lived-here-infamous-name-tied-to-scheme-was-local/16001631007/
Mohamed, Alana. “The Ladies' Deposit: The 19th-Century Ponzi Scheme by Women, for Women.” Mental Floss. 5/14/2018. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/542689/ladies-deposit-19th-century-ponzi-scheme-women-women
New England Historical Society. “Charles Ponzi, The Financial Idiot Who Drove Boston Money Mad in 1920.” https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/charles-ponzi-the-financial-idiot-who-drove-boston-money-mad-in-1920/
Smithsonian National Postal Museum. “Ponzi Scheme.” https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/behind-the-badge-case-histories-scams-and-schemes/ponzi-scheme
Tampa Times. “Gave Up 195 Sq. Inches Cuticle.” 12/28/1912. p.6.
Weisman, Steve. “The History of Ponzi Schemes Goes Deeper Than the Man Who Gave Them His Name.” Time. 8/12/2020. https://time.com/5877434/first-ponzi-scheme/
Zuckoff, Mitchell. “Ponzi’s Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend.” Random House. 2005.

He&rsquo;s synonymous with fraud today, but the most famous scheme Charles Ponzi pulled in his lifetime was surprisingly short-lived.&nbsp;
Research:
<ul>
<li>"Charles Ponzi Cheats Thousands in Investment Scheme, 1919-1920." Historic U.S. Events, Gale, 2012. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/BT2359030095/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&amp;sid=bookmark-GPS&amp;xid=2fa9c993. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.</li>
<li>"Ponzi Scheme." Gale Encyclopedia of American Law, edited by Donna Batten, 3rd ed., vol. 8, Gale, 2010, pp. 32-35. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX1337703388/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&amp;sid=bookmark-GPS&amp;xid=156ed9f9. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.</li>
<li>"Ponzi, Charles." Encyclopedia of World Biography, edited by James Craddock, 2nd ed., vol. 34, Gale, 2014, pp. 291-294. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3788300138/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&amp;sid=bookmark-GPS&amp;xid=b742c693. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.</li>
<li>Baldwin, Herbert L. &ldquo;Canadian &lsquo;Ponsi&rsquo; Served Jail Term &ndash; Montreal Police, Jail Warden and Others Declare That Charles Ponzi of Boston and Charles Ponsi of Montreal Who Was Sentenced to Two and a Half years in Jail for Forgery on Italian Bank Are One And Same Man.&rdquo; Boston Post. 8/11/1920. p. 1, 18.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Arrest in Ponzi Case May Be Made Today.&rdquo; 8/12/1920. p.1, 22.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Boston Man Is Sued For $1,000,000.&rdquo; 7/4/1920. p. 3.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Both Barron and Ponzi Give Talk.&rdquo; 7/31/1920. p. 3.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Doubles Your Money in 90 days &ndash; 50 P.C. in 45.&rdquo; 7/24/1920. p. 1, 4.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Entire Issue of Coupons Last Year Only $60,000.&rdquo; 8/4/1920. p. 6.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Federal Officials Scout Ponzi Claim.&rdquo; 7/31/2910. p. 1, 2.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Financial Editors Notes.&rdquo; 7/26/1920. p. 13.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Great Run on Ponzi Continues Until Office Is Closed For Day.&rdquo; 8/3/1920. p. 1, 2.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Million Is Paid Back by Ponzi.&rdquo; 7/28/1920. p. 1, 24.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Officials Balked by Ponzi Puzzle.&rdquo; 7/30/1920. p. 1, 11.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Ponzi Books In Hands of U.S. Auditor.&rdquo; 7/31/1920. p. 1, 2.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Ponzi Closes; Not Likely to Resume.&rdquo; 7/26/1920. p. 1, 7.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Ponzi Relates Story of His Life.&rdquo; 8/9/1920. p. 16.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Questions the Motive Behind Ponzi Scheme.&rdquo; 7/26/1920. p. 1, 6.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Seeking Source of Big Profits.&rdquo; 7/28/1920.&nbsp; p. 20.</li>
<li>Boston Post. &ldquo;Uncle Sam to Get the Facts of Ponzi&rsquo;s Case.&rdquo; 7/29/1920. p. 1, 24.</li>
<li>Boston Sunday Post. &ldquo;Ponzi Has a Rival Next Door to Him.&rdquo; 7/25/1920. p. 1, 15.</li>
<li>Darby, Mary. &ldquo;In Ponzi We Trust.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 12/1998. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-ponzi-we-trust-64016168/</li>
<li>Kerr, Jessie-Lynne. &ldquo;Ponzi lived here: Infamous name tied to scheme was local.&rdquo; Florida Times-Union. 12/21/2008. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/2008/12/22/ponzi-lived-here-infamous-name-tied-to-scheme-was-local/16001631007/</li>
<li>Mohamed, Alana. &ldquo;The Ladies' Deposit: The 19th-Century Ponzi Scheme by Women, for Women.&rdquo; Mental Floss. 5/14/2018. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/542689/ladies-deposit-19th-century-ponzi-scheme-women-women</li>
<li>New England Historical Society. &ldquo;Charles Ponzi, The Financial Idiot Who Drove Boston Money Mad in 1920.&rdquo; https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/charles-ponzi-the-financial-idiot-who-drove-boston-money-mad-in-1920/</li>
<li>Smithsonian National Postal Museum. &ldquo;Ponzi Scheme.&rdquo; https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/behind-the-badge-case-histories-scams-and-schemes/ponzi-scheme</li>
<li>Tampa Times. &ldquo;Gave Up 195 Sq. Inches Cuticle.&rdquo; 12/28/1912. p.6.</li>
<li>Weisman, Steve. &ldquo;The History of Ponzi Schemes Goes Deeper Than the Man Who Gave Them His Name.&rdquo; Time. 8/12/2020. https://time.com/5877434/first-ponzi-scheme/</li>
<li>Zuckoff, Mitchell. &ldquo;Ponzi&rsquo;s Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend.&rdquo; Random House. 2005.</li>
</ul>

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He’s synonymous with fraud today, but the most famous scheme Charles Ponzi pulled in his lifetime was surprisingly short-lived.

Charles Ponzi’s Schemes

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