Selling the Somaliland illusion: A Modern-Day Brooklyn Bridge Scam

The phrase “selling the Brooklyn Bridge” has become a symbol of gullibility, rooted in a famous scam from the early 20th century. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was an engineering marvel and a New York City icon, but it also became a target for fraud. George C. Parker, a notorious con artist, famously “sold” the bridge—and other landmarks—to unsuspecting victims by forging documents and even setting up fake toll booths. His targets were often immigrants or tourists who lacked knowledge of local property laws and customs. Parker’s schemes were elaborate; he sometimes enlisted other fraudsters to pose as government officials, lending an air of legitimacy to his scams. These victims, unfamiliar with the language and legal systems, were easily duped into handing over their hard-earned money. They fell for the illusion of legitimacy, a hallmark of classic con artistry. Selling the Somaliland illusion