739 - Ferdinand Ward - Live
Summary
Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds discuss the life of Ferdinand Ward, a con artist who embezzled from his church and ran a massive Ponzi scheme with banker James Fish. Ward used his marriage into a wealthy family and a partnership with Ulysses S. Grant to fuel his fraud, promising huge returns on imaginary investments. The episode covers Ward’s lavish spending, the eventual financial panic of 1882, and the ruin of Grant and Fish, ending with Ward’s failed escape attempt.
Topics discussed
Intro and Ad Read
Ferdinand Ward's Hypochondriac Mother
Childhood Illness and Schooling
Failed Careers and Marriage to Ella
The Grant & Ward Partnership Begins
The Ponzi Scheme and Ad Breaks
Cooking the Books and Government Contracts
The Panic of 1873 and Bank Run
Grant's Ruin and Ward's Arrest
Trial, Imprisonment, and Family Tragedy
Kidnapping Son Clarence and Final Years
Conclusion and Outro
Listen ad-free on Castria