The Man Who Sold The Same Bridge Twice

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, George C. Parker made a living selling things he didn’t own.

 

His favorite target was the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

Parker convinced multiple investors that they had purchased exclusive ownership of the bridge. He used forged documents, official-sounding language, and urgency. Buyers were told to keep the deal quiet to avoid interference from the city.

 

Some victims reportedly tried to set up toll booths before realizing the truth.

 

Parker didn’t stop with the bridge. He also sold Madison Square Garden, the Statue of Liberty, and other public landmarks to unsuspecting buyers.

 

By the time the victims compared notes, Parker was gone.

 

The landmarks never moved.

The embarrassment stayed.

 

Parker was eventually arrested and sent to Sing Sing Prison, where he died in 1936.

 

It remains one of history’s cleanest scams: nothing stolen but trust.