How Crazy Eddie Built a $160 Million Empire of Fraud

Comments · 988

• MS

  @MS-06Borjarnon · 3 years ago

  To be fair, being a bit paranoid DOES seem like a kind of reasonable response to somebody just walking up and stabbing you.

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• FI

  @fight4745 · 3 years ago (edited)

  When I was in college, I had a lecture from one of the forensic accountants who worked on Crazy Eddie's. The first time they did an audit, they realized that they were moving inventory from one warehouse to another to get counted multiple times. The second time, the accounting team did a synchronized "raid" of all the stores and warehouses to make sure that didn't happen.

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• PO

  @poindextertunes · 3 years ago

  If Jordan Belfort is the “Wolf of Wall Street” then Crazy Eddie is the “Eel of Electronics” 😂

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• VA

  @valmarsiglia · 3 years ago

  Whenever I see stories like these, I always ask myself: how much more money did the guy need? It's amazing how greed destroys people; it's like a gambling addiction. This guy could've had a wonderful life with his family, never wanted for anything, but he just had to have more and more.

  308

• SH

  @shaun9901 · 3 years ago

  I remember loving those commercials as a 12 year old kid in 1980. I lived in MA but could get WOR out of NYC on cable. The day after Thanksgiving they would do a Godzilla movie marathon which was peppered with Crazy Eddie commercials. Including one where the announcer just wore a lizard mask and roared and grunted, but in the typical style of a Crazy Eddie commercial.

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• BO

  @bobbysnow1500 · 3 years ago

  Sammy said it was Eddies fault. Then says he’d still be a crook if he didn’t get caught. They all knew what they were doing. They could’ve walked away at any time.

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• CA

  @captaincomedian6320 · 3 years ago

  At some point before the first attempt at reviving Crazy Eddie, a store called 'GUESS WHO?,' with the logo done up in the same font as Crazy Eddie, opened up on route 22 in Jersey. I've always wondered if this was a trial run before outright resurrecting the original name, or just some other opportunist trying to cash in on Eddie's notoriety.

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• SH

  @shayhol1984 · 3 years ago

  You've got a real talent for finding the older/lesser known fraud and weird stories, Anomaly. I look forward to seeing more from you!

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• MR

  @mrjohn.whereyoufrom · 2 years ago

  Even in England the Crazy Eddie adverts were known about. Our adverts were boring and Eddie's ads gave the impression the whole of America was bonkers.

  9

• JO

  @joeg5414 · 3 years ago (edited)

  How convenient - wife and girlfriend both named Debbie. Can't screw that up 🤣

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• WA

  @Wallyworld30 · 3 years ago

  That 1972 Radio Commercial says they have Marantz Receivers. Today one of those in good condition is worth $2000-$3,000 each! Those were some of the best Consumer stereo receivers ever made! Crazy Eddie has some Crazy good Gear!!!

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• OU

  @outpostorange9580 · 3 years ago (edited)

  Saul Goodman has quite the backstory it seems

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