"A wholesale fraud and forgery scheme": organized crime and the counterfeit lottery trade in the United States, 1931-1932
During the Great Depression, foreign-based lotteries distributed Sweepstake tickets throughout the United States in direct violation of government laws at the time. Although these Sweepstakes enticed many hopeful Americans, the underground methods of ticket distribution also attracted organized crim...
| 1. VerfasserIn: | |
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| Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2017
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| In: |
Crime, law and social change
Jahr: 2017, Band: 67, Heft: 2, Seiten: 209-222 |
| Online-Zugang: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Journals Online & Print: | Lade...
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| Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
| Schlagwörter: |
| Zusammenfassung: | During the Great Depression, foreign-based lotteries distributed Sweepstake tickets throughout the United States in direct violation of government laws at the time. Although these Sweepstakes enticed many hopeful Americans, the underground methods of ticket distribution also attracted organized criminal elements. This article examines one such criminal gang that distributed counterfeit Irish Hospitals Sweepstake tickets throughout the US during 1931. The paper utilising government records and newspaper accounts not only delves into the dynamics of a particular criminal network but also reveals the efforts on the part of Bureau of Investigation agents to uncover the fraudulent trade. The article provides an important glimpse into a largely unexplored aspect of criminal history and shows how corruption can prosper in society during the most vulnerable of times. |
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| ISSN: | 1573-0751 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10611-016-9672-0 |
