Books like Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb
In the unregulated atmosphere of 1920s Chicago, Leo Koretz—a charismatic lawyer—conspired to defraud investors of up to $30 million in non‑existent timberland and oil ventures near Panama’s new Canal Zone. His elaborate scheme collapsed in 1923, and he disappeared. A state‑attorney-led hunt ensued, culminating in Koretz’s capture; he was then living under an assumed identity as a book dealer in Nova Scotia. Koretz’s death in a Chicago prison marked the end of an era of swindling and commercial crime, offering a detailed portrait of the social and economic conditions of the time.
The book also examines the broader context of Chicago’s corrupt politics, the rise of gangster dominance, and the frenzy surrounding stock market speculation, providing insight into the mechanisms and allure of swindles throughout history.
First publish date: 2015
Genre: Biography & Autobiography/Biography
Authors: Dean Jobb
★
★
★
★
★
0.0 (0 community ratings)
How are these books recommended?
The books recommended for Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb are shaped by reader interaction. Votes on how closely books relate, user ratings, and community comments all help refine these recommendations and highlight books readers genuinely find similar in theme, ideas, and overall reading experience.
Have you read any of these books?
Your votes, ratings, and comments help improve recommendations and make it easier
for other readers to discover books they’ll enjoy.
Books similar to Empire of Deception (12 similar books)
Kevin Mitnick, once the world’s most notorious hacker, shares insider insights on social engineering and how human weaknesses can undermine even the strongest technical defenses.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A biography of Oleg Gordievsky, the Soviet double‑agent who, while working undercover in the KGB, supplied MI6 with critical intelligence that accelerated the collapse of the Cold War.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Rebecca Bloomwood’s compulsive shopping spirals her into debt, but when a compelling story lands, she writes an article that transforms her life and those around her.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
An engaging exploration of the 1854 London cholera outbreak and how Dr. John Snow’s mapping of the epidemic transformed public health, urban planning, and the science of disease transmission.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Margo Jefferson recounts her upbringing in Chicago’s black elite, tracing how the cultural and social dynamics of ‘Negroland’ shaped her life amid the civil rights movement, feminism, and the myth of postracial America.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Harry Markopolos narrates how he and his investigative team—dubbed the Fox Hounds—uncovered Bernie Madoff’s $65 billion Ponzi scheme years before regulators acted, revealing how the SEC repeatedly ignored their warnings.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A captivating true story of the charismatic Charles Ponzi, the man behind the Ponzi scheme that brought the Roaring Twenties to life.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Erin Arvedlund exposes the rise and fall of Bernard Madoff, revealing how the $65 billion Ponzi scheme deceived investors, the household and professional circle that kept it secret, and the failures of regulators.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Jane Addams's narrative of life in an immigrant urban neighborhood provides students with an introduction to the issues of the Progressive era and the tenets of social activism. This new teaching edition reduces Addams's original text by about 35 percent, trimming illustrative detail to focus on the ideological underpinnings of the original work. The author sketches a brief biographical portrait of Addams, outlines the decisions and convictions that led her to found Hull-House, and includes a vivid picture of turn-of-the-century Chicago. Related documents include a description of life at Hull-House from the perspective of an immigrant who frequented it, an early review of Hull-House, and perspectives from other reformers.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
An investigative chronicle of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, offering unprecedented access to insiders and the inner workings of the fraud that stole billions from investors worldwide.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Some Other Similar Books
The Man Who Heard Voices by Michael VisserThe Murders of JFK by William J. Burnham
The Art of the Con by Ricky Jay
The Cult of the Dead Cow by Jesse Varsalone
Have a similar book in mind? Let others know!
Please login to submit books!