The Billion-Dollar Diamond Field That Never Existed: The Greatest Gem Scam in History episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 8, 2025 · 7 MIN

The Billion-Dollar Diamond Field That Never Existed: The Greatest Gem Scam in History

from Weird History

In 1872, two smooth-talking con men pulled off one of history's most audacious scams by "discovering" a massive diamond field in the American West. After secretly scattering cheap diamonds across worthless land, they convinced banking tycoons, geologists, and even a founder of Tiffany & Co. to invest millions in their fictional gem empire. The scheme was so convincing that it sparked a nationwide diamond rush and nearly crashed the global gem market - until one skeptical geologist noticed something wasn't quite right about these miraculous diamond fields. This is the incredible true story of Philip Arnold and John Slack, the Kentucky cousins who almost got away with the perfect crime, and the investigation that brought down their glittering house of cards.Support the show here via Paypal:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=DWSYBNBMAY9AL&no_recurring=0&item_name=Thanks+for+your+help%21&currency_code=USD

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The Billion-Dollar Diamond Field That Never Existed: The Greatest Gem Scam in History

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