Ponzi's Scheme_ The True Story of a Financial Legend - Mitchell Zuckoff [161]
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a rumor took hold: “Unite upon Ponzi Case,” Boston Post, August 8, 1920, p. 1; “Ponzi Starts Scare by Seven-Hour Absence,” Boston Sunday Globe, August 8, 1920, p. 1; “Ponzi Defies State or Nation to Stop Him from Opening Tomorrow,” Boston Sunday Herald, August 8, 1920, p. 1; “Ponzi to Refuse Money in His New Venture,” New York Times, August 9, 1920, p. 6.
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his name being yelled by newsboys: “Unite upon Ponzi Case,” Boston Post, August 8, 1920, p. 1.
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trying to charm the entire newsroom: “Unite upon Ponzi Case,” Boston Post, August 8, 1920, p. 1; “Ponzi Starts Scare by Seven-Hour Absence,” Boston Sunday Globe, August 8, 1920, p. 1.
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“Why are you doing this to me?”: Curt Norris, “Ponzi,” Yankee, November 1975, p. 115.
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“I have decided”: “Ponzi Will Wait,” Boston Post, August 8, 1920, p. 14.
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bid on the entire fleet: “Ponzi Defies Arrest,” Boston American, August 7, 1920, p. 1.
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“This will be all the security”: Ibid.
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“They call me the ‘Millionaire Kid’ ”: “Ponzi to Resume Monday,” Boston Sunday Advertiser, August 8, 1920, p. 1.
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dressed in a bathrobe: “Ponzi’s Debts Known Today,” Boston Post, August 9, 1920, p. 1.
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the ninety-three-degree heat: “Relief from Heat Today,” Boston Post, August 10, 1920, p. 1.
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waving a telegram from Herman: Ibid.
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telling Post reporter P. A. Santosuosso: “Ponzi Relates Story of His Life,” Boston Post, August 9, 1920, p. 16. The story does not carry a byline, but there are several reasons to believe it was the work of Santosuosso. He was responsible for day-to-day coverage of the case (see Kenny, p. 197) and he had also heard the rumor about Ponzi spending time in jail in Montreal (Kenny, p. 197), which would explain why the story explicitly pointed out the lengthy gaps in Ponzi’s account of his life.
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a rumor that Ponzi had spent time: Kenny, p. 197.
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sharing what he knew with Richard Grozier: Ibid.
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Her eyes brimmed with tears: “Ponzi Relates Story of His Life,” Boston Post, August 9, 1920, p. 16.
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she abhorred people staring at her: Charles Merrill, “His Pretty Girl Wife Sorry When Ponzi Quit $50 Job,” Boston Globe, August 8, 1920, p. 8.
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“I would much rather that he was a bricklayer”: “Ponzi Relates Story of His Life,” Boston Post, August 9, 1920, p. 16.
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Later that day, a telegram arrived: “Ponzi Shown Dispatch,” Boston Post, August 11, 1920, p. 18. This brief story details how and when the Post got wind of Ponzi’s Montreal conviction and also describes the phone call to Ponzi asking for comment or confirmation. Again, as described above, it is reasonable to deduce that the phone call was made by Santosuosso. Also see Ponzi, pp. 165–67, for his account of this episode. Separately, on p. 169, Ponzi describes another version of the event in which he says “a city editor came up to my house in Lexington about midnight. Flashing a telegram from Montreal.” Based on the Post’s account and other elements of the chronology, there is strong reason to believe that Ponzi was confusing this event with a later one, in which he was shown a copy of the Post shortly after midnight on the day the story broke.
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Grozier called for his ace: Kenny, p. 197.
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Ponzi knew he could not avoid: Ponzi, p. 166. See “It was vital for me to delay the exposure until after the show-down [with Pride].”
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Ponzi estimated that his holdings: “Register, but Keep Money,” Boston American, August 9, 1920, p. 1.
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“call the bluff of all the public authorities” Ibid.
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“After I have been proved on the level”: Ibid.
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Joseph Bonina: “Register, but Keep Money,” Boston American, August 9, 1920, p. 1; Also 1930 U.S. Census data.
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pharmacist Louis Mantani: “Ponzi Funds Tied Up; Bankruptcy Petition Filed by 3 Clients,” Boston Herald, August 10, 1920, p. 1; “Stop Ponzi Checks: Say He’s Bankrupt,” New York Times, August 10, 1920, p. 1.
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Ponzi received an invitation from Gallagher: “Ponzi Stops Payment—Not to