The Swindler Is the Count

There’s an old story about “Count” Victor Lustig and Al Capone in which the Count gains an audience with the famous gangster. The Count asks for $50,000 with the promise that he would double it in sixty days. Capone wasn’t much of the trusting sort, but for some reason he decided to trust this stranger. Besides, 50K wasn’t all that much to him. Two months later the Count returned and apologetically said, “Please accept my profound apologies. The plan failed, I failed.” Capone, not amused, was about to take matters into his own hands and then the Count said, “Here is your money back, all $50,000. I thought the plan would work; I could have really used the money, but the plan just didn’t materialize.” Capone was stunned. “I knew you were a fake the moment you walked in here and I expected either 100K or nothing…but this…getting my money back…” The count interrupted him, “Again, my apologies Mr. Capone.” and he started to leave. “My god, you’re honest! Here’s five thousand to help you out.” The $5000 was all that the Count was after; Capone was swindled. 

This can be a story about selective honesty. Maybe about choosing your mark carefully. Maybe about lowering the suspicions of the naturally suspicious (Capone). All of that makes sense and I think the lesson here is two fold--be reasonable, don’t ask for too much ($5K rather than $50K). And secondly, we have to be trusting, but not too trusting. As the Count showed, one act of honesty doesn’t make up for all the other deceptions.