Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation

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.

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.

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.

Largely unknown today, Leo Koretz was running Ponzi schemes before the real Ponzi was publicized and brought to justice. Dean Jobb’s Empire of Deception details Chicagoan Leo Koretz and his financial shenanigans in the 1920s. Koretz worked his deceptions for many years before finally getting caught. And that came only after he, himself, grew tired, weary, and sick. But the man was so well liked that even many of his victims refused to testify against him. Jobb has done a magnificent job of research, and the book is a delight. What sounds like a dry tale is very lively indeed. Set against the backdrop of free-wheeling, corrupt Chicago in the time of Al Capone, Jobb paints a picture of a conniving, charming con man. This is a must read for anyone who loves Chicago, as I do, and it is a must read for anyone who is still trying to understand how Bernie Madoff duped his many victims. Empire of Deception tells a great piece of history and in the process makes it clear that Koretz was nothing new and nothing that doesn’t continue to happen in the twenty-first century.

I had never heard of Koretz and didn't know exactly what I was getting into. Turned out to be a fascinating, well-written, bizarre tale of one of the greatest Ponzi schemes ever, right at the same time as Charles Ponzi was working his craft. History relegated Koretz to the trash heap while "Ponzi scheme" made its way into the dictionary, presumably because Ponzi lived longer. The Kindle book is filled with links to end notes that bring the book to an abrupt end at 58% (allowing room for all the notes), so it turned out to be much shorter than expected.

I enjoyed this book. Didn't know anything on the subject.

A well woven tale that keeps its readers attention throughout the many pages, (and all the way to the hint of sunrise). An incredible list of resources will convince the reader that this is not an embellished story. As one might think, "How can this be possible?" I look forward to reading another Dean Jobb's book.

The only down-side to this story is that it is all true. It’s sad that a guy smart and talented enough to get through law school would cheat his friends and family of millions and then take the easy way out to a cowards death. The fact that this still possible today is a lesson to everybody to be careful who you do business with.

It's not enough to have a great story; you also have to tell it well. Dean Jobb meets both requirements in his meticulously researched true story of a man who conjured millions of "wealth" out of thin air. Jobb gives us a vivid picture of the early 1900s and offers a lesson about greed that can never be repeated too many times.

This book is a part of several well researched and written, easy reading stories of fascinating characters, events and times for the most part long forgotten but continue to echo with numerous contemporary financial scandals, scams and rogues.

Empire of Deception grabs the reader from the first chapter; first page! Dean Jobb’s extremely well researched depiction of 1920's Chicago creates a full picture of the lifestyle and corruption on every level of society. Swindler Leo Koretz was a master at bringing out the highest level of greed in everyone from friends & family to anyone looking to make a quick buck. I was amazed at how easily Koretz bilked millions of dollars without needing any proof of product. Although I believe he was one of history’s greatest swindlers, I was also very impressed at his ability to keep all his victims wanting more for so many years. Dean Jobb opens the door so the reader is immersed into the times and opulence of the 1920's. This story would make the perfect movie with all the ingredients for a block buster!

A very interesting story and one that I knew nothing about. I found the book well researched and written.

Amazing story. Well researched and written.