(Mental Floss)-- Investigators are trying to figure out whether the financial fraud allegedly perpetrated by Bernard L. Madoff was, in fact, the largest Ponzi scheme in history. The alleged scam ...

The term originated with Charles Ponzi, a Boston swindler who conned investors out of millions in 1920 by promising returns of up to 100% in 90 days on investments in foreign postal coupons.

What is a Ponzi scheme? The term originated with Charles Ponzi, a Boston swindler who conned investors out of millions in 1920 by promising returns of up to 100% in 90 days on investments in ...

The phrase Ponzi scheme dates back well before Bernie Madoff defrauded investors out of $65 billion. Between 1882 and 1949, Charles Ponzi, an Italian immigrant, found a loophole in currency exchanges.

In 1920, Charles Ponzi's "get-rich-quick" scheme started out small and legal. He promised investors a doubling of their investments in 90 days, and fulfilled that promise by buying International ...

ONE hundred and fifty years after Charles Dickens wrote in Little Dorritt about London investors succumbing to the fraudulent investment schemes of Mr. Merdle’s bank, trusting victims are still ...