3x-xx-xx ep15 The Case Of Ludwig Brandt aka A Case Of Insurance Fraud

The Police Reporter. In a few seconds you'll hear the police reporter and another true history of a crime. An ingenious diabolical story that sounds like a page out of the works of Poe.

Listen to it. Our story starts in Chicago 1890. Our actors, Dr. and Mrs. Meyer and the young Norwegian Ludwig Brent. The doctor and Ludwig are talking in the former's living room. Insurance is a fine thing, Ludwig.

Yes, I know, Doctor. But it's no fun trying to sell it. You can't make any money at it. Oh, but I could make money with insurance? Selling it? Oh, collecting it. What are you talking about, Doctor?

I have a scheme where I could get rich, cheating the insurance companies and never get caught. A lot of people who are in jail right now have said that. Wait till you hear this. Suppose you were insured for, say $10,000, and you were married and then you died.

What would happen? My wife would collect my $10,000 insurance. Correct. Now suppose you didn't really die, but someone convinced the insurance company that you did. Then what would happen? My wife would still collect. We'll take you, for example.

First we marry you off to somebody whom we can handle. Then I gradually make you sick. During the last part of your illness we call in some outside doctor. Then when you get real sick I go to the morgue and get a cadaver and put him in your place.

What becomes a me? I hide you somewhere else. And in twenty-four hours I cure you of your supposed illness. Then your wife collects the insurance and we all share in it. It sounds easy enough, but would it work? Why not?