2. The Luftwaffe Veteran Behind it All
The blackmailer was John Birges, a Hungarian immigrant who had flown for the Luftwaffe during WWII. He built a successful landscaping business, opened a few restaurants, and became a millionaire. However, he then wrecked himself with a gambling addiction, losing about $750,000 (equivalent to about $2.3 million today) at Harvey’s alone.
With his businesses on the verge of bankruptcy, Birges decided to recoup his losses by extorting $3 million from the casino (roughly $9 million today). So he enlisted his two sons, and another two accomplices, and set his extortion plan in motion.