Unusual Ransom Demands: A Journey Through History's Strangest Extortion Attempts

The Theft of Charlie Chaplin's Corpse

In 1978, a bizarre and macabre ransom scheme unfolded in Switzerland involving the remains of legendary actor Charlie Chaplin. Two men, Gantcho Ganev and Roman Wardas, exhumed Chaplin's body from its grave in Corsier-sur-Vevey and demanded $400,000 from his widow, Oona Chaplin, for its return. Oona refused to pay, and the perpetrators escalated their threats towards Chaplin's children. The police apprehended the grave robbers by monitoring local payphones and tapping Oona's telephone line. Eventually, Chaplin's body was recovered and reinterred securely.

The Abduction of John Paul Getty III

In 1973, John Paul Getty III, the 16-year-old grandson of oil magnate J. Paul Getty, was kidnapped in Rome by members of the 'Ndrangheta, a Calabrian Mafia organization. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $17 million, but the elder Getty suspected a ploy and refused to pay. The situation took a gruesome turn when the abductors cut off the teenager's ear and sent it to a newspaper, reducing their demand to $3.2 million. J. Paul Getty eventually agreed to pay $2.2 million—the maximum amount that was tax-deductible—and lent the remaining $800,000 to his son at a 4% interest rate. John Paul Getty III was released after five months in captivity. ...Read More

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