Side Quest: The Con Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower

In 1925, Victor Lustig managed to sell the Eiffel Tower. There was only one problem. It was not his to sell. Posing as a French government official, Lustig convinced scrap-metal dealers that Paris had secretly decided to dismantle the expensive landmark. Forged paperwork, secrecy, status, and even a carefully suggested bribe made the impossible story seem believable. In this Side Quest, we explore how Lustig constructed the scam, why dealer André Poisson fell for it, why embarrassment helped the con artist escape—and why Lustig was confident enough to come back and try selling the Eiffel Tower again. Hashtags: #SideQuest #EiffelTower #VictorLustig #ConArtist #Scams #Paris #FrenchHistory #History #StrangeHistory #TrueCrimeHistory #HistoryFacts