--- product_id: 154550503 title: "Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation" price: "42.87 DT" currency: TND in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/154550503-empire-of-deception-the-incredible-story-of-a-master-swindler store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation **Price:** 42.87 DT **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation - **How much does it cost?** 42.87 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/154550503-empire-of-deception-the-incredible-story-of-a-master-swindler) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description It was a time of unregulated madness. And nowhere was it madder than in Chicago at the dawn of the Roaring Twenties. Enter a slick, smooth-talking, charismatic lawyer named Leo Koretz, who enticed hundreds of people to invest as much as $30 million—upward of $400 million today—in phantom timberland and nonexistent oil wells in Panama. This rip-roaring tale of greed, financial corruption, dirty politics, over-the-top and under-the-radar deceit, illicit sex, and a brilliant and wildly charming con man on the town, then on the lam, is not only a rich and detailed account of a man and an era; it’s a fascinating look at the methods of swindlers throughout history. As Model Ts rumbled down Michigan Avenue, gang-war shootings announced Al Capone’s rise to underworld domination. As bedecked partygoers thronged to the Drake Hotel’s opulent banquet rooms, corrupt politicians held court in thriving speakeasies and the frenzy of stock market gambling was rampant. Leo Koretz was the Bernie Madoff of his day, and Dean Jobb shows us that the American dream of easy wealth is a timeless commodity. “Intoxicating and impressively researched, Jobb’s immorality tale provides a sobering post-Madoff reminder that those who think everything is theirs for the taking are destined to be taken.” —The New York Times Book Review “Captivating . . . A story that seems to be as American as it can get, and it’s told well.” — The Christian Science Monitor “A masterpiece of narrative set-up and vivid language . . . Jobb vividly . . . brings the Chicago of the 1880s and ‘90s to life.” — Chicago Tribune “This cautionary tale of 1920s greed and excess reads like it could happen today.” —The Associated Press Review: If you enjoy reading about fascinating people - read this one - I enjoyed this book very much. If you like books like those written by Eric Larson, then you will like this. It is well written and deeply researched and the story is unbelievable but all too believable in today's world of con artists like Bernie Madoff - but this guy Leo Koretz - he was a master and he knew no boundaries. His entire existence was a fraud and people loved him. It is set in the roaring 20's in Chicago and people were looking to be millionaires and were ready suckers for Leo's game of big oil in Panama. In the end he conned himself as well. The book details the era as well as his escapades, escape from the law, capture, and the tragic effects on his friends and family. I will be looking for more books by this author. Review: Fun history - A fascinating and very entertaining read about one of the great swindlers of the early 20th century. Most people have never heard of Leo Koretz, but before Madoff and Ponzi, Koretz managed to get people, including his own family to believe in and invest in non-existent oil wells in Panama. A fun tale well told. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #242,889 in Kindle Store ( See Top 100 in Kindle Store ) #65 in History of Midwestern U.S. #99 in Biographies of Hoaxes & Deceptions #118 in Hoaxes & Deceptions | ## Images ![Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/818Mwk8aJML.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy reading about fascinating people - read this one *by V***T on September 2, 2017* I enjoyed this book very much. If you like books like those written by Eric Larson, then you will like this. It is well written and deeply researched and the story is unbelievable but all too believable in today's world of con artists like Bernie Madoff - but this guy Leo Koretz - he was a master and he knew no boundaries. His entire existence was a fraud and people loved him. It is set in the roaring 20's in Chicago and people were looking to be millionaires and were ready suckers for Leo's game of big oil in Panama. In the end he conned himself as well. The book details the era as well as his escapades, escape from the law, capture, and the tragic effects on his friends and family. I will be looking for more books by this author. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fun history *by D***K on February 2, 2019* A fascinating and very entertaining read about one of the great swindlers of the early 20th century. Most people have never heard of Leo Koretz, but before Madoff and Ponzi, Koretz managed to get people, including his own family to believe in and invest in non-existent oil wells in Panama. A fun tale well told. ### ⭐⭐⭐ Interesting Details about Con Men, Then and Now. *by N***A on May 30, 2015* Empire of Deception is interesting and well written and Jobb does a pretty good job of describing people, situations and circumstances. That said, the book is not riveting in the way a good true crime tale can be. It is fascinating to go back to Chicago during prohibition and inagine what life was like with no television or internet, particulary when it came to comitting a fraud. Comparing the difficulty of tracing a fugitive then with the relative ease of identifying and capturing one now really makes us think about how society is more connected and more transparent, but then Bernie Madoff stole even more money in today's allegeldly transparent times and there is a scandal a month in the Chinese stock market. Empire of Deception is a good beach read for the summer and a window back in time. The details are interesting and the book is well written. However, the book just kinds of plods along to the end and the story is not that compelling. I enjoyed it, but was not overwhelmed. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/154550503-empire-of-deception-the-incredible-story-of-a-master-swindler](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/154550503-empire-of-deception-the-incredible-story-of-a-master-swindler) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-10-31*