1 00:00:15,410 --> 00:00:15,890 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:22,770 --> 00:00:26,290 Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty seven, McDonald's teamed up with the Game 3 00:00:26,370 --> 00:00:31,450 Speaker 2: of Monopoly to launch a hugely successful marketing campaign by 4 00:00:31,490 --> 00:00:34,250 Speaker 2: a big Mac or a large frize, and you could 5 00:00:34,290 --> 00:00:37,530 Speaker 2: win a prize ranging from a free ice cream all 6 00:00:37,570 --> 00:00:42,090 Speaker 2: the way to a million dollars. There was just one problem, 7 00:00:42,570 --> 00:00:46,250 Speaker 2: the game was rigged. This story comes to you from 8 00:00:46,290 --> 00:00:50,810 Speaker 2: the true crime and history podcast American Criminal, where host 9 00:00:50,970 --> 00:00:55,130 Speaker 2: Jeremy Schwartz explores the dark side of the American dream. 10 00:00:55,850 --> 00:00:56,170 Speaker 1: Enjoy. 11 00:01:05,210 --> 00:01:10,130 Speaker 3: It's nineteen ninety seven and Charleston, South Carolina. Gloria Brown's 12 00:01:10,170 --> 00:01:13,210 Speaker 3: in the kitchen cooking dinner with her friend Robin Columbu. 13 00:01:14,290 --> 00:01:18,010 Speaker 3: Gloria is enjoying spending time with Robin. The two have 14 00:01:18,130 --> 00:01:20,610 Speaker 3: known each other for a few years, but Robin moved 15 00:01:20,650 --> 00:01:24,010 Speaker 3: away from Florida a little while back and Gloria's missed 16 00:01:24,010 --> 00:01:26,970 Speaker 3: the company. So when Robin called to invite her to 17 00:01:27,050 --> 00:01:30,810 Speaker 3: visit for the weekend, Gloria was all for it. It's 18 00:01:30,810 --> 00:01:34,770 Speaker 3: been a strange trip, though, Gloria was hoping to catch 19 00:01:34,850 --> 00:01:38,010 Speaker 3: up with Robin one on one. She's been going through 20 00:01:38,010 --> 00:01:40,130 Speaker 3: a hard time lately and it would be nice to 21 00:01:40,170 --> 00:01:42,730 Speaker 3: be able to vent a little to her friend, but 22 00:01:42,930 --> 00:01:47,010 Speaker 3: Robin's husband, Jerry, is just always around, which is making 23 00:01:47,050 --> 00:01:50,650 Speaker 3: it hard for Gloria to really open up. She doesn't 24 00:01:50,730 --> 00:01:53,250 Speaker 3: know this guy, and while he's got a certain charm 25 00:01:53,370 --> 00:01:56,210 Speaker 3: to him, it feels like an act to Gloria, like 26 00:01:56,610 --> 00:02:02,010 Speaker 3: maybe he's hiding his real personality beneath the surface. So 27 00:02:02,290 --> 00:02:05,050 Speaker 3: as she and Robin finished preparing the meal and bring 28 00:02:05,090 --> 00:02:09,050 Speaker 3: the dishes to the table, Gloria can't help feeling relieved. 29 00:02:09,370 --> 00:02:13,330 Speaker 3: She's going home tomorrow. Sure, all of her financial troubles 30 00:02:13,330 --> 00:02:15,370 Speaker 3: will be waiting for her, but at least she'll be 31 00:02:15,450 --> 00:02:19,330 Speaker 3: free of Jerry. The trio raised their glasses in a 32 00:02:19,410 --> 00:02:22,930 Speaker 3: quick toast, and then before Gloria has finished her first 33 00:02:22,930 --> 00:02:26,770 Speaker 3: bite of food, Robin fixes her with an intense look 34 00:02:26,890 --> 00:02:29,570 Speaker 3: and says she needs to talk to her about something. 35 00:02:30,330 --> 00:02:33,530 Speaker 3: Neither she or Jerry have touched their plates yet, so 36 00:02:33,650 --> 00:02:37,370 Speaker 3: Gloria senses this is important, like maybe it's the whole 37 00:02:37,450 --> 00:02:41,450 Speaker 3: reason she was invited here in the first place. Trying 38 00:02:41,450 --> 00:02:46,090 Speaker 3: to sound casual, she says she's all ears. That's when 39 00:02:46,170 --> 00:02:52,970 Speaker 3: Robin starts talking about McDonald's, specifically their famous monopoly promotional game, 40 00:02:53,370 --> 00:02:56,410 Speaker 3: the one that's been running for as long as Gloria 41 00:02:56,490 --> 00:03:00,770 Speaker 3: can remember. She nods along, talking about the prizes she'd 42 00:03:00,810 --> 00:03:03,370 Speaker 3: love to win, mostly just to fill in the quiet, 43 00:03:03,410 --> 00:03:07,450 Speaker 3: while Robin lights a cigarette after taking a drag. Robin 44 00:03:07,490 --> 00:03:11,690 Speaker 3: explains that the whole thing fixed. Those people you see 45 00:03:11,690 --> 00:03:14,330 Speaker 3: on the TVs saying they've won a million dollars, they 46 00:03:14,370 --> 00:03:17,810 Speaker 3: didn't win anything, They were chosen, and you want to 47 00:03:17,850 --> 00:03:22,370 Speaker 3: know who chooses the winners. With a dramatic flourish, Robin 48 00:03:22,450 --> 00:03:26,530 Speaker 3: points to her husband, him he's the one with all 49 00:03:26,570 --> 00:03:31,010 Speaker 3: the power. Gloria's eyes widen as she listens to her 50 00:03:31,090 --> 00:03:34,610 Speaker 3: friend explaining the scheme. How Jerry's been choosing all of 51 00:03:34,650 --> 00:03:38,730 Speaker 3: the million dollar winners for years now. McDonald's does it 52 00:03:38,810 --> 00:03:41,810 Speaker 3: this way to make sure that only good people win 53 00:03:41,850 --> 00:03:45,450 Speaker 3: the money. They don't want anyone with an embarrassing criminal 54 00:03:45,530 --> 00:03:48,170 Speaker 3: history or something like that tied to the company. 55 00:03:48,650 --> 00:03:50,490 Speaker 1: Gloria odds that kind of makes sense. 56 00:03:51,290 --> 00:03:54,250 Speaker 3: Then Robin says that they want Gloria to be the 57 00:03:54,290 --> 00:03:58,770 Speaker 3: next big winner, if she wants that is. Gloria is 58 00:03:58,770 --> 00:04:02,010 Speaker 3: feeling lightheaded. She's not even sure if she believes what 59 00:04:02,130 --> 00:04:05,610 Speaker 3: Robin's just told her, but she really wants to a 60 00:04:05,690 --> 00:04:09,690 Speaker 3: million dollars She can't even picture that much money. She's 61 00:04:09,730 --> 00:04:12,690 Speaker 3: a single mom and making ends meet with just one 62 00:04:12,770 --> 00:04:17,210 Speaker 3: income is tough. Now her friend's just offering her money. 63 00:04:18,130 --> 00:04:21,330 Speaker 3: She gazes across the table, trying to find the words 64 00:04:21,370 --> 00:04:26,090 Speaker 3: to answer Robin's smiling at her, eyes gleaming with excitement, 65 00:04:26,770 --> 00:04:31,010 Speaker 3: But Jerry's smile looks more like a smirk. Makes Gloria 66 00:04:31,090 --> 00:04:34,450 Speaker 3: think there's more to this than Robin's letting on, And 67 00:04:34,570 --> 00:04:38,970 Speaker 3: suddenly she's wondering should she take the money or run 68 00:04:39,010 --> 00:04:52,490 Speaker 3: for her life from airship. I'm Jeremy Schwartz, and this 69 00:04:52,970 --> 00:05:18,050 Speaker 3: is American criminal. In nineteen oh three, amateur inventor and 70 00:05:18,130 --> 00:05:21,930 Speaker 3: political activist Lizzie McGee put the finishing touches on a 71 00:05:21,970 --> 00:05:24,250 Speaker 3: board game she'd come up with as a way to 72 00:05:24,330 --> 00:05:29,810 Speaker 3: demonstrate the inequalities in America's economic system. The game invited 73 00:05:29,850 --> 00:05:33,210 Speaker 3: players to move their tokens around a square board and 74 00:05:33,250 --> 00:05:35,770 Speaker 3: forced them to pay rent every time they landed on 75 00:05:35,810 --> 00:05:40,250 Speaker 3: a property they didn't own. She called it the Landlord's Game, 76 00:05:40,570 --> 00:05:45,650 Speaker 3: and it developed a small but passionate following. Three decades later, 77 00:05:45,930 --> 00:05:49,690 Speaker 3: heater salesman Charles Darrow played Lizzie's game at a dinner 78 00:05:49,730 --> 00:05:53,170 Speaker 3: party with friends and saw it as a potential moneymaker. 79 00:05:53,650 --> 00:05:57,410 Speaker 3: He took the Landlord's game, removed some of the criticisms 80 00:05:57,450 --> 00:06:03,050 Speaker 3: of capitalism, and renamed it Monopoly. When his stolen version 81 00:06:03,090 --> 00:06:05,930 Speaker 3: of the game became a hit, Charles sold the rights 82 00:06:05,970 --> 00:06:09,410 Speaker 3: to Parker Brothers, who paid Lizzie five hundred dollars so 83 00:06:09,450 --> 00:06:12,930 Speaker 3: she wouldn't try to defend her patent. The company also 84 00:06:13,010 --> 00:06:16,130 Speaker 3: gave her a promise in writing to credit her as 85 00:06:16,170 --> 00:06:20,290 Speaker 3: the game's inventor in all future editions. It was a 86 00:06:20,370 --> 00:06:25,330 Speaker 3: promise Parker Brothers never fulfilled, denying Lizzie recognition for inventing 87 00:06:25,370 --> 00:06:28,170 Speaker 3: a game that was becoming a staple in homes around 88 00:06:28,250 --> 00:06:32,010 Speaker 3: the country. And while Lizzie McGhee's role in the creation 89 00:06:32,130 --> 00:06:36,050 Speaker 3: of Monopoly was quietly smudged out, Charles Darrow went on 90 00:06:36,130 --> 00:06:39,490 Speaker 3: to become an incredibly wealthy man who was lauded as 91 00:06:39,530 --> 00:06:43,010 Speaker 3: an early innovator in the world of board games. The 92 00:06:43,090 --> 00:06:46,050 Speaker 3: point I'm trying to make is that life isn't always fair. 93 00:06:46,850 --> 00:06:51,290 Speaker 3: Lizzie did everything right. She created something new and innovative, 94 00:06:51,370 --> 00:06:54,850 Speaker 3: she got a patent to protect her intellectual property. Then 95 00:06:54,970 --> 00:06:59,010 Speaker 3: when someone violated her patent, she negotiated in good faith, 96 00:06:59,970 --> 00:07:05,290 Speaker 3: and she still got screwed. Unfortunately, that's not the only 97 00:07:05,370 --> 00:07:08,290 Speaker 3: time that the game of Monopoly was used to screw 98 00:07:08,330 --> 00:07:13,570 Speaker 3: people out of millions. This is episode one in our 99 00:07:13,650 --> 00:07:17,170 Speaker 3: three part series on the great McDonald's Monopoly heist. 100 00:07:17,650 --> 00:07:24,170 Speaker 1: A man on the inside. 101 00:07:24,930 --> 00:07:28,570 Speaker 3: It's just about lunchtime on May fifteenth, nineteen forty in 102 00:07:28,730 --> 00:07:33,970 Speaker 3: San Bernardino, California. Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald stand in 103 00:07:33,970 --> 00:07:37,810 Speaker 3: front of their brand new restaurant, a small octagonal hut 104 00:07:37,810 --> 00:07:41,570 Speaker 3: called McDonald's Barbecue. The air is full of the smell 105 00:07:41,650 --> 00:07:44,650 Speaker 3: of slow cooking meats, and the brothers employees are at 106 00:07:44,650 --> 00:07:49,050 Speaker 3: their stations ready to go. This McDonald's join isn't like 107 00:07:49,090 --> 00:07:53,290 Speaker 3: most other restaurants. Aside from a few stools at the counter, 108 00:07:53,490 --> 00:07:57,570 Speaker 3: there's nowhere for customers to sit and eat. Instead, people 109 00:07:57,610 --> 00:08:00,170 Speaker 3: are expected to drive up and place their orders with 110 00:08:00,290 --> 00:08:03,970 Speaker 3: car hops, young women in short skirts and majorrette boots, 111 00:08:04,210 --> 00:08:08,490 Speaker 3: and then eat right there in their cars. Strictly speaking, 112 00:08:08,650 --> 00:08:10,970 Speaker 3: this is not a brand new idea, but it's not 113 00:08:11,130 --> 00:08:14,890 Speaker 3: the norm here in San Bernardino, so Richard and Maurice 114 00:08:14,890 --> 00:08:19,330 Speaker 3: are nervous about how locals will react. Still, they're hopeful 115 00:08:19,450 --> 00:08:23,010 Speaker 3: it'll be a hit. They're determined to make their fortune 116 00:08:23,050 --> 00:08:26,690 Speaker 3: and the restaurant game. Maybe they'll make tens of thousands 117 00:08:26,690 --> 00:08:30,370 Speaker 3: of dollars, they think, even more if they're lucky. Of course, 118 00:08:30,530 --> 00:08:33,330 Speaker 3: these guys got no idea just how big their little 119 00:08:33,370 --> 00:08:35,050 Speaker 3: barbecue join'll get one day. 120 00:08:35,090 --> 00:08:36,170 Speaker 1: Forget thousands. 121 00:08:36,410 --> 00:08:40,810 Speaker 3: The McDonald's name will one day be worth billions, and 122 00:08:40,890 --> 00:08:44,210 Speaker 3: in about fifty years from now, the actions of one 123 00:08:44,370 --> 00:08:47,170 Speaker 3: man will threaten to bring all of it crashing to 124 00:08:47,290 --> 00:08:53,330 Speaker 3: the ground. Eight years after Richard and Maurice McDonald first 125 00:08:53,330 --> 00:08:56,970 Speaker 3: open their drive up restaurant, they shut it down, not 126 00:08:57,090 --> 00:09:00,330 Speaker 3: for good, though. By nineteen forty eight they were making 127 00:09:00,370 --> 00:09:03,650 Speaker 3: three hundred thousand dollars in sales each year, which would 128 00:09:03,690 --> 00:09:07,850 Speaker 3: be around four million with inflation. That's not bad, right, 129 00:09:09,170 --> 00:09:12,610 Speaker 3: brothers think they can do better. They've noticed that some 130 00:09:12,690 --> 00:09:15,770 Speaker 3: of their items have been a lot more popular than others, 131 00:09:15,850 --> 00:09:19,930 Speaker 3: so they want to streamline things, less overhead, more customers, 132 00:09:19,930 --> 00:09:24,330 Speaker 3: more money. When they reopen in December nineteen forty eight, 133 00:09:24,410 --> 00:09:28,970 Speaker 3: they go all in on their real moneymakers, Hamburgers. They 134 00:09:29,010 --> 00:09:32,330 Speaker 3: also replace their car hops with a cashier who takes 135 00:09:32,450 --> 00:09:36,970 Speaker 3: orders at a counter plate. Silverware and dishwashing staff give 136 00:09:37,010 --> 00:09:40,770 Speaker 3: way to paper wrappers and cups, and they replace their 137 00:09:40,810 --> 00:09:44,810 Speaker 3: old kitchen with a new, hyper efficient layout, with staff 138 00:09:44,890 --> 00:09:47,930 Speaker 3: working on an assembly line to churn out burgers as 139 00:09:48,010 --> 00:09:51,810 Speaker 3: fast as possible. That way, customers can get their food 140 00:09:51,970 --> 00:09:54,770 Speaker 3: just seconds after they walk up, then be on their way. 141 00:09:56,170 --> 00:09:58,570 Speaker 3: It's a bold gamble to take a risk on a 142 00:09:58,610 --> 00:10:03,250 Speaker 3: concept that discourages customers from lingering at the restaurant, but 143 00:10:03,730 --> 00:10:07,010 Speaker 3: it's one that takes off, and before long, the McDonald 144 00:10:07,050 --> 00:10:10,370 Speaker 3: brothers have turned their restaurant into a franchise, with the 145 00:10:10,410 --> 00:10:15,450 Speaker 3: second location in California and a third in Arizona. Gradually 146 00:10:15,650 --> 00:10:18,970 Speaker 3: they expand their menu to offer French fries and milkshakes. 147 00:10:19,850 --> 00:10:23,170 Speaker 3: That's what brings Ray Kroc out to California in nineteen 148 00:10:23,290 --> 00:10:27,490 Speaker 3: fifty four. He's a milkshake machine salesman, and he wants 149 00:10:27,570 --> 00:10:31,290 Speaker 3: to know why one restaurant owns eight of his products. 150 00:10:32,250 --> 00:10:35,370 Speaker 3: When Ray pulls up to the McDonald's in San Bernardino, 151 00:10:35,570 --> 00:10:39,650 Speaker 3: he sees people lining up to order trays full of burgers, fries, 152 00:10:39,970 --> 00:10:44,890 Speaker 3: and plenty of milkshakes. The number of customers impresses Ray, sure, 153 00:10:44,970 --> 00:10:47,410 Speaker 3: but more than that, he can't get over the pure 154 00:10:47,450 --> 00:10:51,130 Speaker 3: efficiency of the place how quickly they can churn out 155 00:10:51,210 --> 00:10:55,850 Speaker 3: food for people like the McDonald brothers. Ray's keen to 156 00:10:55,890 --> 00:10:58,730 Speaker 3: make a fortune for himself, and he's pretty sure he's 157 00:10:58,930 --> 00:11:02,290 Speaker 3: just found as golden goose. He sets up a meeting 158 00:11:02,330 --> 00:11:05,170 Speaker 3: with Richard and Maurice and convinces them to let him 159 00:11:05,170 --> 00:11:09,490 Speaker 3: have the franchise rights. From there, he institutes a model 160 00:11:09,570 --> 00:11:13,370 Speaker 3: of hyper efficiency, and every news store the company opens, 161 00:11:14,130 --> 00:11:16,810 Speaker 3: not only will customers be able to buy their food 162 00:11:16,850 --> 00:11:20,050 Speaker 3: and leave with it just moments later, they're guaranteed to 163 00:11:20,130 --> 00:11:24,410 Speaker 3: have the same experience in whichever restaurant they visit. It's 164 00:11:24,490 --> 00:11:27,450 Speaker 3: comfort when you're away from home. It's an easy meal 165 00:11:27,530 --> 00:11:30,850 Speaker 3: when you're short on time. It's a shining example of 166 00:11:30,930 --> 00:11:36,730 Speaker 3: American capitalism. By nineteen sixty, McDonald's restaurants around the country 167 00:11:36,770 --> 00:11:41,210 Speaker 3: are grossing fifty six million dollars annually, and that's only 168 00:11:41,250 --> 00:11:45,330 Speaker 3: the beginning. The company soon expands beyond the US, with 169 00:11:45,490 --> 00:11:48,530 Speaker 3: stores opening in Europe, Asia, and as far away as 170 00:11:48,570 --> 00:11:52,370 Speaker 3: New Zealand. But towards the end of the nineteen seventies, 171 00:11:52,490 --> 00:11:55,930 Speaker 3: McDonald's is looking for ways to make their customers happier. 172 00:11:56,570 --> 00:12:01,010 Speaker 3: In particular, they want the whole experience to become family friendly. 173 00:12:01,570 --> 00:12:04,410 Speaker 3: It's a big shift from thirty years ago when Richard 174 00:12:04,410 --> 00:12:06,770 Speaker 3: and Maurice wanted to get people in and out. 175 00:12:06,570 --> 00:12:07,890 Speaker 1: As fast as possible. 176 00:12:08,530 --> 00:12:11,970 Speaker 3: That kind of efficiency really lends itself to people looking 177 00:12:12,050 --> 00:12:14,690 Speaker 3: for a quick bite on their own, but there's money 178 00:12:14,730 --> 00:12:18,410 Speaker 3: to be made by enticing families to visit the restaurants too. 179 00:12:19,890 --> 00:12:23,330 Speaker 3: In October nineteen seventy seven, the company rolls out a 180 00:12:23,370 --> 00:12:27,770 Speaker 3: marketing scheme to do just that. They're called Happy Meals 181 00:12:27,930 --> 00:12:30,330 Speaker 3: and you probably don't need me to tell you what 182 00:12:30,370 --> 00:12:33,770 Speaker 3: they look like, right, food, drink, small, toy, bright box. 183 00:12:34,490 --> 00:12:37,210 Speaker 3: It's not the first time toys are used to directly 184 00:12:37,250 --> 00:12:40,050 Speaker 3: market to kids, but as sure as a masterclass and 185 00:12:40,170 --> 00:12:43,930 Speaker 3: doing it right, obviously, the Happy Meals are a hit. 186 00:12:44,170 --> 00:12:48,330 Speaker 3: Kids love the toys and with multiple options available, they 187 00:12:48,370 --> 00:12:50,650 Speaker 3: have to come back several times if they want to 188 00:12:50,690 --> 00:12:52,010 Speaker 3: collect the whole set. 189 00:12:52,490 --> 00:12:54,090 Speaker 1: And for the next decade. 190 00:12:54,170 --> 00:12:57,090 Speaker 3: It's one of the best marketing tools McDonald's has, and 191 00:12:57,210 --> 00:13:01,130 Speaker 3: it's arsenal. But pretty soon they'll launch a campaign that'll 192 00:13:01,170 --> 00:13:05,250 Speaker 3: make Happy Meals look like I don't know, child's play. 193 00:13:07,250 --> 00:13:10,530 Speaker 4: With game enough Lee has come to life at McDonald's. 194 00:13:10,650 --> 00:13:16,290 Speaker 4: Winnot Coca Cola, good lellion dollars collected my game pieces 195 00:13:16,610 --> 00:13:20,610 Speaker 4: only instantly, So play Monopoly, do not pass goal, go 196 00:13:20,810 --> 00:13:22,210 Speaker 4: directly to McDonald's. 197 00:13:23,810 --> 00:13:28,330 Speaker 3: In nineteen eighty seven, McDonald's joins forces with another American 198 00:13:28,650 --> 00:13:33,530 Speaker 3: icon for their first Monopoly campaign. McDonald's promises it's customers 199 00:13:33,650 --> 00:13:36,890 Speaker 3: that they can win prizes that range from free burgers 200 00:13:36,970 --> 00:13:41,330 Speaker 3: and sodas to new houses, dream vacations, and even a 201 00:13:41,410 --> 00:13:44,810 Speaker 3: million dollars. All you have to do is collect game 202 00:13:44,890 --> 00:13:48,770 Speaker 3: pieces inspired by the classic board game, complete a set 203 00:13:48,810 --> 00:13:51,930 Speaker 3: of properties, and you win a prize. There are also 204 00:13:52,170 --> 00:13:55,490 Speaker 3: instant win pieces that mostly give out low value items 205 00:13:55,610 --> 00:13:59,810 Speaker 3: like fries and desserts, but there are some instant wins 206 00:13:59,890 --> 00:14:03,210 Speaker 3: for the million bucks, just not a lot. The odds 207 00:14:03,210 --> 00:14:05,890 Speaker 3: of pulling a million dollar winner somewhere in the region 208 00:14:05,970 --> 00:14:10,170 Speaker 3: of one and two hundred and fifty million. People don't 209 00:14:10,250 --> 00:14:14,250 Speaker 3: let the odds stop them. They flock to McDonald's in droves, 210 00:14:14,410 --> 00:14:17,570 Speaker 3: buying the products that come with game pieces, hoping to 211 00:14:17,730 --> 00:14:21,410 Speaker 3: hit the jackpot. The game is a massive success, and 212 00:14:21,570 --> 00:14:25,490 Speaker 3: before it's even over, executives are already talking about bringing 213 00:14:25,570 --> 00:14:29,490 Speaker 3: it back the following year. Now, what's really important to 214 00:14:29,570 --> 00:14:32,410 Speaker 3: know about the whole thing is that McDonald's doesn't actually 215 00:14:32,490 --> 00:14:36,290 Speaker 3: have anything to do with running this monopoly promotion. The 216 00:14:36,450 --> 00:14:39,970 Speaker 3: people behind the scheme are a company called Simon Marketing, 217 00:14:40,250 --> 00:14:44,250 Speaker 3: the same team who helped develop the Happy Meal. McDonald's 218 00:14:44,490 --> 00:14:48,090 Speaker 3: knows Simon can deliver, so they're responsible for everything from 219 00:14:48,170 --> 00:14:52,970 Speaker 3: start to finish. McDonald's contracts them to print the game tokens, 220 00:14:53,090 --> 00:14:56,450 Speaker 3: send them to stores, and carefully disseminate the high value 221 00:14:56,530 --> 00:15:01,090 Speaker 3: pieces across the country. That means that McDonald's corporate has 222 00:15:01,250 --> 00:15:03,930 Speaker 3: no idea where the winners will be when the pieces 223 00:15:04,010 --> 00:15:09,490 Speaker 3: turn out, well, except that McDonald's restaurants they'll definitely be there. 224 00:15:10,490 --> 00:15:14,290 Speaker 3: In nineteen eighty eight, the campaign returns and McDonald sees 225 00:15:14,330 --> 00:15:18,530 Speaker 3: a huge jump in sales during the months that it runs. Sure, 226 00:15:18,610 --> 00:15:20,930 Speaker 3: they have to pay out millions in prizes, but the 227 00:15:21,050 --> 00:15:25,690 Speaker 3: increased profits more than cover the expense. If customers want 228 00:15:25,770 --> 00:15:28,090 Speaker 3: more tokens, they can buy more products. 229 00:15:28,890 --> 00:15:32,410 Speaker 1: It's almost like gambling, but for legal. 230 00:15:32,290 --> 00:15:37,450 Speaker 3: Reasons, it's not technically gambling. The game creates a feeling 231 00:15:37,570 --> 00:15:41,850 Speaker 3: of excitement around the McDonald's brand, almost fifty years after 232 00:15:41,970 --> 00:15:45,490 Speaker 3: the first barbecue stand open in sand burned Adino. It's 233 00:15:45,570 --> 00:15:48,810 Speaker 3: more crucial than ever, that the company continue finding new 234 00:15:48,850 --> 00:15:52,050 Speaker 3: ways to reinvent itself to stay on the cutting edge 235 00:15:52,090 --> 00:15:55,850 Speaker 3: of the fast food industry. This does that for them 236 00:15:56,650 --> 00:16:02,570 Speaker 3: every year, sometimes multiple times a year. It's not always 237 00:16:02,770 --> 00:16:07,210 Speaker 3: Monopoly theme, but the basic concept stays the same. By products, 238 00:16:07,370 --> 00:16:11,330 Speaker 3: get game pieces, collect set to win, and with every 239 00:16:11,450 --> 00:16:14,570 Speaker 3: new version of the promotion they run ads featuring people 240 00:16:14,650 --> 00:16:19,810 Speaker 3: who won prizes the last time, cars, vacations, jet skis, 241 00:16:20,010 --> 00:16:24,290 Speaker 3: cold hard cash. Everyday. People are really winning these things. 242 00:16:24,370 --> 00:16:27,250 Speaker 3: All they had to do was go directly to McDonald's. 243 00:16:28,850 --> 00:16:32,130 Speaker 3: On the surface, it seems like there's no downside to this. 244 00:16:33,050 --> 00:16:36,210 Speaker 3: People can go get a burger, some fries, maybe have 245 00:16:36,370 --> 00:16:39,010 Speaker 3: a fun meal out with their family, maybe win a 246 00:16:39,090 --> 00:16:42,610 Speaker 3: camcorder in new TV, and in the back of their 247 00:16:42,730 --> 00:16:46,330 Speaker 3: mind there's that exciting thought that they might just be 248 00:16:46,570 --> 00:16:49,370 Speaker 3: one of the lucky ones to find that million dollar 249 00:16:49,530 --> 00:16:52,890 Speaker 3: game piece. For the first couple of years, the game 250 00:16:53,010 --> 00:16:56,730 Speaker 3: runs exactly as planned. Everyone's got the same one to 251 00:16:56,810 --> 00:17:00,210 Speaker 3: two hundred and fifty million chance of becoming an instant millionaire. 252 00:17:00,970 --> 00:17:04,010 Speaker 3: But in nineteen eighty nine, one man will find a 253 00:17:04,050 --> 00:17:07,850 Speaker 3: way to corrupt this incredibly popular game. He'll take it 254 00:17:07,970 --> 00:17:10,410 Speaker 3: upon himself to say, see that no one in America 255 00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:29,690 Speaker 3: will genuinely win those million dollar prizes ever again. It's 256 00:17:29,770 --> 00:17:34,250 Speaker 3: the spring of nineteen eighty in Hollywood, Florida. Jerome Jacobson 257 00:17:34,370 --> 00:17:38,450 Speaker 3: lies in the hospital bed, frustrated, kind of scared. A 258 00:17:38,530 --> 00:17:41,810 Speaker 3: few days ago, thirty seven year old Jerry collapsed with 259 00:17:41,930 --> 00:17:46,250 Speaker 3: a terrifying paralysis that affected his legs, arms, eyes, and 260 00:17:46,370 --> 00:17:50,890 Speaker 3: respiratory system. His wife Marcia rushed him to the emergency room, 261 00:17:51,250 --> 00:17:53,890 Speaker 3: and he's been stuck in a bed ever since, waiting 262 00:17:54,090 --> 00:17:58,930 Speaker 3: for answers. Since he's arrived, he's slowly regaining the feeling 263 00:17:59,010 --> 00:18:01,450 Speaker 3: in his limbs and his vision is coming back, but 264 00:18:01,570 --> 00:18:04,850 Speaker 3: he's ready for this nightmare to be over. Beside him, 265 00:18:05,050 --> 00:18:07,730 Speaker 3: Marcia asked Jerry if he wants another sip of water. 266 00:18:08,410 --> 00:18:11,130 Speaker 3: He shakes his head head he doesn't want a drink, 267 00:18:11,730 --> 00:18:15,970 Speaker 3: He just wants answers. Just then, as if responding to 268 00:18:16,050 --> 00:18:19,090 Speaker 3: his prayers, a doctor walks into the room and announces 269 00:18:19,210 --> 00:18:23,210 Speaker 3: that they finally got results back on their tests. Jerry 270 00:18:23,330 --> 00:18:26,130 Speaker 3: shuffles in the bed, trying to sit up a little straighter, 271 00:18:26,250 --> 00:18:30,050 Speaker 3: but he can't even manage that. Resigned to his discomfort, 272 00:18:30,250 --> 00:18:34,210 Speaker 3: he tells the doctor he's ready to hear the worst. Slowly, 273 00:18:34,530 --> 00:18:38,490 Speaker 3: she explains that he has Giambret syndrome, which means his 274 00:18:38,610 --> 00:18:43,490 Speaker 3: body's immune system is attacking his nerves. It's a rare 275 00:18:43,570 --> 00:18:46,730 Speaker 3: condition and there's no known cure, but it's possible to 276 00:18:46,810 --> 00:18:51,730 Speaker 3: make a recovery with careful treatment and rehabilitation. Still, it'll 277 00:18:51,770 --> 00:18:54,370 Speaker 3: be a tough road ahead, and Jerry's life will probably 278 00:18:54,450 --> 00:18:57,530 Speaker 3: look different from now on. He might live with muscle 279 00:18:57,570 --> 00:19:00,210 Speaker 3: weakness for a number of years, and he'll need plenty 280 00:19:00,290 --> 00:19:01,810 Speaker 3: of support from his loved ones. 281 00:19:02,890 --> 00:19:05,650 Speaker 1: Jerry's mind is reeling as he takes all of this in. 282 00:19:05,930 --> 00:19:08,690 Speaker 3: He hates feeling like he's dependent on other people, like 283 00:19:08,770 --> 00:19:12,290 Speaker 3: he's a All his life, he's just wanted to feel 284 00:19:12,370 --> 00:19:16,050 Speaker 3: like he's in control, that he has true agency over himself. 285 00:19:16,930 --> 00:19:19,930 Speaker 3: Now it sounds like he might never have that again. 286 00:19:21,810 --> 00:19:26,050 Speaker 3: Jerry Jacobson was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in nineteen forty three, 287 00:19:26,250 --> 00:19:29,730 Speaker 3: and he had a pretty unremarkable childhood. He grew up 288 00:19:29,770 --> 00:19:32,650 Speaker 3: with a step brother, Marvin, who always seemed to get 289 00:19:32,690 --> 00:19:37,650 Speaker 3: more than Jerry, more favors, more affection, more opportunities, but 290 00:19:37,770 --> 00:19:40,690 Speaker 3: he tried not to let that get to him. One day, 291 00:19:41,010 --> 00:19:44,410 Speaker 3: he'd leave all that behind. He had big dreams of 292 00:19:44,530 --> 00:19:47,490 Speaker 3: getting a job that gave him plenty of authority and respect, 293 00:19:47,810 --> 00:19:51,010 Speaker 3: and in his early twenties he enlisted with the Marines. 294 00:19:52,210 --> 00:19:55,530 Speaker 3: Unfortunately for Jerry, his time in the armed forces was 295 00:19:55,650 --> 00:19:56,290 Speaker 3: short lived. 296 00:19:57,090 --> 00:19:59,450 Speaker 1: His heart was in it, but his body wasn't. 297 00:20:00,090 --> 00:20:03,610 Speaker 3: He was discharged during basic training thanks to his high 298 00:20:03,770 --> 00:20:08,290 Speaker 3: arches and persistent allergies he'd had all his life. It 299 00:20:08,410 --> 00:20:10,850 Speaker 3: was devast for him to be told that he would 300 00:20:10,930 --> 00:20:13,610 Speaker 3: never do a job he'd been dreaming about for years, 301 00:20:14,410 --> 00:20:18,010 Speaker 3: but he didn't dwell in his misery for long. In 302 00:20:18,170 --> 00:20:22,050 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy six, he pivoted enlisting as a police officer 303 00:20:22,130 --> 00:20:25,450 Speaker 3: in Hollywood, Florida. It might not have felt quite as 304 00:20:25,530 --> 00:20:28,370 Speaker 3: prestigious as the Marines, but it was a job that 305 00:20:28,490 --> 00:20:31,450 Speaker 3: came with built in authority in a less physically rigorous 306 00:20:31,450 --> 00:20:35,730 Speaker 3: screening process, and for a little while, things seemed to 307 00:20:35,810 --> 00:20:38,850 Speaker 3: be going well for Jerry. Then, about a year after 308 00:20:38,970 --> 00:20:41,850 Speaker 3: he was sworn onto the force, he injured his wrist 309 00:20:41,970 --> 00:20:44,890 Speaker 3: on the job. It was so bad that he had 310 00:20:44,930 --> 00:20:48,690 Speaker 3: to take extended medical leave. While he was still off work. 311 00:20:48,770 --> 00:20:53,210 Speaker 3: In nineteen eighty, he started experiencing extreme pain in one 312 00:20:53,250 --> 00:20:56,810 Speaker 3: of his hands, which soon developed into a creeping numbness 313 00:20:57,010 --> 00:21:00,490 Speaker 3: and eventually the paralysis that landed him in the hospital. 314 00:21:01,410 --> 00:21:05,050 Speaker 3: The diagnosis of Giamboret's syndrome is just one more blow 315 00:21:05,170 --> 00:21:08,970 Speaker 3: that Jerry really doesn't need. He was already feeling pretty you, 316 00:21:09,570 --> 00:21:12,130 Speaker 3: not being able to work, and now his wife will 317 00:21:12,170 --> 00:21:14,690 Speaker 3: also have to take time away from her job on 318 00:21:14,770 --> 00:21:18,930 Speaker 3: the force to care for him. After he's discharged from 319 00:21:18,970 --> 00:21:22,370 Speaker 3: the hospital, Jerry goes home, where Marcia has to bathe 320 00:21:22,450 --> 00:21:25,330 Speaker 3: and feed him every day and give the massages to 321 00:21:25,410 --> 00:21:29,810 Speaker 3: help his recovery. But although she obviously loves her husband deeply, 322 00:21:30,010 --> 00:21:33,450 Speaker 3: she doesn't let him wallow. She says he can have 323 00:21:33,610 --> 00:21:36,930 Speaker 3: fifteen minutes to feel sorry for himself each morning, but 324 00:21:37,170 --> 00:21:40,730 Speaker 3: then he has to get on with his life. Misery's 325 00:21:40,930 --> 00:21:45,570 Speaker 3: no good here. With Marcia's support, Jerry shows clear signs 326 00:21:45,610 --> 00:21:48,690 Speaker 3: of improvement, but it's obvious that he'll never be able 327 00:21:48,770 --> 00:21:52,410 Speaker 3: to rejoin the police force. In nineteen eighty one, the 328 00:21:52,530 --> 00:21:55,690 Speaker 3: Hollywood PD let him go, meaning that he's got to 329 00:21:55,770 --> 00:22:00,530 Speaker 3: start over once again. After that, Jerry and Marcia decide 330 00:22:00,570 --> 00:22:03,690 Speaker 3: that Florida has brought them enough bad luck for one lifetime, 331 00:22:03,810 --> 00:22:07,890 Speaker 3: so they moved north to Atlanta, Georgia. By now, Jerry's 332 00:22:07,970 --> 00:22:10,810 Speaker 3: recovered enough that he picks up some work as a mechanic, 333 00:22:11,610 --> 00:22:15,290 Speaker 3: but Marsha's still the breadwinner. She leaves her police job 334 00:22:15,410 --> 00:22:18,370 Speaker 3: behind to take a position as a security auditor for 335 00:22:18,490 --> 00:22:23,570 Speaker 3: an accounting firm. Now, her new employers could assigned Marsha 336 00:22:23,690 --> 00:22:26,290 Speaker 3: to any of their clients, but they just so happen 337 00:22:26,330 --> 00:22:29,450 Speaker 3: to place her with the Dittler Brothers, a printing company. 338 00:22:30,130 --> 00:22:32,850 Speaker 1: This sounds kind of dull, right, a printing company. 339 00:22:33,690 --> 00:22:36,290 Speaker 3: Well, what if I told you that Dittler had built 340 00:22:36,330 --> 00:22:41,130 Speaker 3: its reputation by printing things like scratch offs, lottery tickets, 341 00:22:41,290 --> 00:22:45,970 Speaker 3: and promotional games for other companies. Huh, that suddenly seems 342 00:22:46,050 --> 00:22:50,410 Speaker 3: more interesting. It's certainly a job that Marsha enjoys, and 343 00:22:50,690 --> 00:22:53,930 Speaker 3: it's something she thinks Jerry is well suited to as well, 344 00:22:54,770 --> 00:22:57,330 Speaker 3: so she recommends him for a role at the company, 345 00:22:58,010 --> 00:23:02,890 Speaker 3: and soon husband and wife are working side by side. Unfortunately, 346 00:23:03,210 --> 00:23:06,330 Speaker 3: the Jacobsons are not a couple who should be. 347 00:23:06,370 --> 00:23:07,930 Speaker 1: Working so closely together. 348 00:23:08,530 --> 00:23:11,770 Speaker 3: They get into a lot of little arguments on the job, 349 00:23:12,130 --> 00:23:15,770 Speaker 3: which spill over into blow ups at home. By nineteen 350 00:23:15,850 --> 00:23:20,370 Speaker 3: eighty three, they're divorced but still working together and like 351 00:23:20,490 --> 00:23:24,530 Speaker 3: a X. Jerry takes his job with Dittler Brothers very seriously. 352 00:23:25,290 --> 00:23:27,890 Speaker 3: He likes the respect to gives him the feeling of 353 00:23:28,010 --> 00:23:31,170 Speaker 3: control he has keeping a handle on the firm's production 354 00:23:31,330 --> 00:23:35,410 Speaker 3: of high value pieces of paper. In nineteen eighty seven, 355 00:23:35,730 --> 00:23:39,890 Speaker 3: Dittler are contracted by Simon Marketing to create and distribute 356 00:23:40,010 --> 00:23:43,490 Speaker 3: all of the game pieces for the new McDonald's marketing campaign. 357 00:23:44,210 --> 00:23:47,210 Speaker 3: At this stage, Jerry's been with the company for around 358 00:23:47,330 --> 00:23:50,530 Speaker 3: six years and is pretty high in their security team, 359 00:23:50,850 --> 00:23:54,090 Speaker 3: so he's given the job of overseeing everything related to 360 00:23:54,210 --> 00:23:55,330 Speaker 3: the monopoly promotion. 361 00:23:56,050 --> 00:23:57,610 Speaker 1: It's a gig he loves. 362 00:23:58,090 --> 00:24:01,890 Speaker 3: Being responsible for the integrity of this high profile partnership 363 00:24:02,050 --> 00:24:08,050 Speaker 3: is exhilarating, and he's determined to impress Among the Dittler employees. 364 00:24:08,410 --> 00:24:11,250 Speaker 3: Jerry gets a reputation for being a real pain in 365 00:24:11,330 --> 00:24:14,610 Speaker 3: the ass with this monopoly thing. He starts checking people's 366 00:24:14,650 --> 00:24:17,890 Speaker 3: shoes to make sure no one's smuggling game pieces out 367 00:24:17,930 --> 00:24:21,490 Speaker 3: of the factory. He also institutes a rule that employees 368 00:24:21,530 --> 00:24:24,450 Speaker 3: who transport the pieces aren't even allowed to use the 369 00:24:24,570 --> 00:24:28,650 Speaker 3: bathroom alone. There will be no corrupting this game, not 370 00:24:28,850 --> 00:24:32,930 Speaker 3: on his watch. Of course, making sure that hundreds of 371 00:24:33,050 --> 00:24:36,690 Speaker 3: millions of game pieces remained under Dittler's control is only 372 00:24:36,810 --> 00:24:40,370 Speaker 3: part of the job. The most important aspect, though, is 373 00:24:40,490 --> 00:24:44,170 Speaker 3: taking care of the winning tokens, the rare property titles 374 00:24:44,250 --> 00:24:46,970 Speaker 3: the customers will need to complete the set, and the 375 00:24:47,050 --> 00:24:50,970 Speaker 3: big ticket instant wins. Those get an extra level of 376 00:24:51,050 --> 00:24:55,930 Speaker 3: attention for starters. They're each printed using black lighting and 377 00:24:56,210 --> 00:24:59,690 Speaker 3: feature tiny flaws in the text, a corner missing from 378 00:24:59,730 --> 00:25:02,810 Speaker 3: the crossbar of the letter T, or a slightly crooked 379 00:25:02,890 --> 00:25:07,530 Speaker 3: punctuation mark. That way, they'll be almost impossible to counterfeit. 380 00:25:08,570 --> 00:25:12,130 Speaker 3: Once the winning pieces come off the printer, Jerry locks 381 00:25:12,210 --> 00:25:14,970 Speaker 3: them away in a vault with multiple layers of security 382 00:25:15,090 --> 00:25:19,730 Speaker 3: until the time comes for the prize draw. Now year's 383 00:25:19,770 --> 00:25:23,330 Speaker 3: where things get more complicated. Before the start of each 384 00:25:23,450 --> 00:25:27,890 Speaker 3: Monopoly campaign, a computer program is used to determine where 385 00:25:28,010 --> 00:25:31,250 Speaker 3: the high value pieces will be sent. In other words, 386 00:25:31,450 --> 00:25:35,130 Speaker 3: the winning tokens aren't just inserted at random into packets 387 00:25:35,170 --> 00:25:37,970 Speaker 3: of other game pieces and then sent out into the world. 388 00:25:38,610 --> 00:25:42,730 Speaker 3: What happens is this program will randomly select the location 389 00:25:43,050 --> 00:25:46,970 Speaker 3: of another printing shop that makes McDonald's packaging, and that's 390 00:25:47,010 --> 00:25:50,810 Speaker 3: where the pieces will be sent so in theory, Simon 391 00:25:50,930 --> 00:25:54,570 Speaker 3: Marketing and Dittler Brothers will know what areas winners will 392 00:25:54,610 --> 00:25:57,650 Speaker 3: come from ahead of time because they're the ones bringing 393 00:25:57,730 --> 00:26:01,770 Speaker 3: the pieces there, and because these game pieces are so valuable, 394 00:26:02,130 --> 00:26:04,770 Speaker 3: Jerry doesn't trust just anyone to bring them to their 395 00:26:04,810 --> 00:26:08,730 Speaker 3: final destination. No, no, it's a job you only trust 396 00:26:08,850 --> 00:26:13,810 Speaker 3: one person with himself. So when it's time to send 397 00:26:13,850 --> 00:26:16,770 Speaker 3: the pieces out into the wild, Jerry and an independent 398 00:26:16,850 --> 00:26:19,530 Speaker 3: auditor insert a winner into an envelope with a bunch 399 00:26:19,570 --> 00:26:23,690 Speaker 3: of regular game pieces. The envelope is then sealed using 400 00:26:23,770 --> 00:26:28,490 Speaker 3: a tamper proof holographic sticker. If anyone opens the envelope, 401 00:26:28,530 --> 00:26:31,810 Speaker 3: the broken sticker will be a dead giveaway. And these 402 00:26:31,850 --> 00:26:36,450 Speaker 3: stickers are specially created by another company just for this campaign, 403 00:26:36,930 --> 00:26:39,810 Speaker 3: so it's not like someone can buy extra to stage 404 00:26:39,890 --> 00:26:43,850 Speaker 3: some kind of heist anyway. Jerry and this auditor locked 405 00:26:43,890 --> 00:26:47,570 Speaker 3: the envelope into a briefcase with the combination opening. He 406 00:26:47,770 --> 00:26:50,810 Speaker 3: chooses the code for one side, she chooses the code 407 00:26:50,850 --> 00:26:53,530 Speaker 3: for the other. There's no way for one of them 408 00:26:53,610 --> 00:26:56,370 Speaker 3: to get into it without the other being there. Then 409 00:26:56,410 --> 00:27:00,050 Speaker 3: they board a plane together. Jerry's got the briefcase handcuffed 410 00:27:00,090 --> 00:27:03,370 Speaker 3: to his wrist. Then they fly to the airport closest 411 00:27:03,410 --> 00:27:07,250 Speaker 3: to the chosen factory. Once they get there, Jerry and 412 00:27:07,330 --> 00:27:10,610 Speaker 3: the auditor open the briefcase in front of all the employees. 413 00:27:11,410 --> 00:27:15,010 Speaker 3: Then Jerry makes a big show of opening the envelope 414 00:27:15,050 --> 00:27:18,130 Speaker 3: and carefully inserting the pieces into the packs that will 415 00:27:18,170 --> 00:27:21,930 Speaker 3: be sent to the nearby distribution points. The dozen or 416 00:27:22,010 --> 00:27:24,570 Speaker 3: so extra pieces are there to make sure that no 417 00:27:24,690 --> 00:27:29,130 Speaker 3: one can track whichbox contains a winner. Like I said, 418 00:27:29,330 --> 00:27:32,450 Speaker 3: it's a complicated process, but it's one that Jerry takes 419 00:27:32,530 --> 00:27:35,090 Speaker 3: a lot of pride in and it's a role he's 420 00:27:35,130 --> 00:27:39,650 Speaker 3: well compensated for. In nineteen eighty eight, Simon Marketing hire 421 00:27:39,730 --> 00:27:42,530 Speaker 3: him away from Dittler Brothers to be their head of security. 422 00:27:43,290 --> 00:27:46,570 Speaker 3: There he earns four maybe five times what he'd be 423 00:27:46,650 --> 00:27:49,650 Speaker 3: making as a cop, which is nice, but it's not 424 00:27:50,090 --> 00:27:53,730 Speaker 3: just the money. He likes getting the travel regular and 425 00:27:53,890 --> 00:27:57,410 Speaker 3: quickly he becomes obsessed with getting gold status. 426 00:27:57,010 --> 00:27:58,210 Speaker 1: With his airline miles. 427 00:27:58,930 --> 00:28:01,650 Speaker 3: On board the plane, he has a habit of flashing 428 00:28:01,730 --> 00:28:04,370 Speaker 3: his old police badge around when people ask him about 429 00:28:04,370 --> 00:28:08,010 Speaker 3: the briefcase chain to his arm. It all feels like 430 00:28:08,170 --> 00:28:12,290 Speaker 3: he's won at length last. After a lifetime of setback 431 00:28:12,370 --> 00:28:15,850 Speaker 3: after setback, Jerry's finally found where he's supposed to be. 432 00:28:16,650 --> 00:28:20,530 Speaker 3: He's got money, job, satisfaction, and the kind of authority 433 00:28:20,610 --> 00:28:24,690 Speaker 3: he's been searching for for years. Under his watchful ee, 434 00:28:24,890 --> 00:28:28,130 Speaker 3: the first couple of monopoly campaigns go off without a hitch. 435 00:28:29,130 --> 00:28:33,090 Speaker 3: Sales at McDonald's go up, customers win millions of dollars 436 00:28:33,170 --> 00:28:37,770 Speaker 3: worth of prizes, and everyone's happy. The employees at Simon 437 00:28:37,890 --> 00:28:40,930 Speaker 3: Marketing and Dentler Brothers pat themselves on the back for 438 00:28:41,050 --> 00:28:44,610 Speaker 3: a job well done. And at the center of it 439 00:28:44,690 --> 00:28:49,290 Speaker 3: all is Jerry Jacobson. But despite his outward commitment to 440 00:28:49,490 --> 00:28:54,010 Speaker 3: rules and integrity, Jerry's far from perfect, and soon enough, 441 00:28:54,290 --> 00:28:57,810 Speaker 3: the temptation to cheat the system will prove too great 442 00:28:57,890 --> 00:29:14,050 Speaker 3: to resist. It's the summer of nineteen eighty nine and 443 00:29:14,210 --> 00:29:17,410 Speaker 3: forty six year old Jerry Jacobson is just arriving at 444 00:29:17,410 --> 00:29:21,130 Speaker 3: a family barbecue. He walks inside his cousin's house and 445 00:29:21,210 --> 00:29:23,250 Speaker 3: heads straight to the kitchen so he can put his 446 00:29:23,370 --> 00:29:26,810 Speaker 3: beers in the fridge. Then, after making the rounds to 447 00:29:26,930 --> 00:29:29,610 Speaker 3: say hello to his relatives, he heads back out to 448 00:29:29,690 --> 00:29:35,170 Speaker 3: find his brother. Technically, Marvin Braun is Jerry's stepbrother, which 449 00:29:35,530 --> 00:29:39,130 Speaker 3: is important for the purposes of this story. Jerry finds 450 00:29:39,210 --> 00:29:42,330 Speaker 3: Marvin by the grill and pulls him aside. They need 451 00:29:42,450 --> 00:29:44,810 Speaker 3: to talk, he says, and he leads Marvin away from 452 00:29:44,850 --> 00:29:48,410 Speaker 3: the noise to a secluded spot in the backyard. Once 453 00:29:48,490 --> 00:29:51,690 Speaker 3: they're alone, Jerry thrusts a hand into his pocket and 454 00:29:51,810 --> 00:29:55,570 Speaker 3: pulls out a small plastic bag. He hands it to Marvin, 455 00:29:55,610 --> 00:29:59,690 Speaker 3: who inspects it. Inside is a single game piece from 456 00:29:59,730 --> 00:30:03,930 Speaker 3: the latest MacDonald's Monopoly promotion. But unlike most of the 457 00:30:03,970 --> 00:30:07,170 Speaker 3: pieces Marvin seen in the past, this one doesn't look 458 00:30:07,290 --> 00:30:10,690 Speaker 3: like a typical property square on the board game. There's 459 00:30:10,930 --> 00:30:15,250 Speaker 3: just text here revealing that the bearer has won twenty 460 00:30:15,370 --> 00:30:20,410 Speaker 3: five thousand dollars. About a month ago, Jerry mentioned to 461 00:30:20,490 --> 00:30:22,810 Speaker 3: Marvin that he might be able to get his hands 462 00:30:22,850 --> 00:30:26,930 Speaker 3: on this exact game piece. Everyone knows that Jerry works 463 00:30:26,970 --> 00:30:30,130 Speaker 3: for the company that manages the monopoly game for McDonald's, 464 00:30:30,330 --> 00:30:32,730 Speaker 3: but it still didn't seem possible that he'd just be 465 00:30:32,810 --> 00:30:36,650 Speaker 3: able to produce a winning ticket whenever he wanted. Now 466 00:30:37,170 --> 00:30:40,810 Speaker 3: he's essentially handed as stepbrother a check for twenty five 467 00:30:41,010 --> 00:30:44,570 Speaker 3: grand Marvin should send the game piece in, he says. 468 00:30:44,690 --> 00:30:48,890 Speaker 3: Then they can split the winnings fifty to fifty. Marvin blinks, 469 00:30:49,290 --> 00:30:52,730 Speaker 3: inspecting the small token in his hand, while Jerry explains 470 00:30:52,850 --> 00:30:55,290 Speaker 3: exactly what he has to do to claim the prize. 471 00:30:56,210 --> 00:30:59,650 Speaker 3: Jerry is very proud of himself for pulling this off, 472 00:30:59,690 --> 00:31:02,010 Speaker 3: and if it works out, he sure he'll be able 473 00:31:02,090 --> 00:31:07,010 Speaker 3: to do it again. Exactly how Jerry manages to get 474 00:31:07,050 --> 00:31:10,170 Speaker 3: his hands on the first few winning game pieces isn't clear, 475 00:31:10,850 --> 00:31:14,090 Speaker 3: but it's possible that the instant win prizes below a 476 00:31:14,210 --> 00:31:17,450 Speaker 3: certain dollar amount aren't guarded quite as fiercely as the 477 00:31:17,570 --> 00:31:22,210 Speaker 3: major ones. However, it happens Jerry successfully hands off a 478 00:31:22,290 --> 00:31:25,210 Speaker 3: winning piece to his stepbrother in nineteen eighty nine, and 479 00:31:25,370 --> 00:31:29,370 Speaker 3: Marvin claims the twenty five grand without a hitch. Jerry 480 00:31:29,650 --> 00:31:32,930 Speaker 3: probably chose Marvin as his test case, not because they're 481 00:31:33,010 --> 00:31:36,730 Speaker 3: especially close, but because they don't share a surname. That 482 00:31:36,930 --> 00:31:39,650 Speaker 3: means Marvin wouldn't set off any alarm bells when he 483 00:31:39,730 --> 00:31:40,450 Speaker 3: claimed the money. 484 00:31:41,210 --> 00:31:44,010 Speaker 1: But Jerry knows he needs to be more careful the 485 00:31:44,130 --> 00:31:45,450 Speaker 1: next time he pulls this time. 486 00:31:46,050 --> 00:31:48,170 Speaker 3: The last thing he wants is a trail of friends 487 00:31:48,210 --> 00:31:50,930 Speaker 3: and relatives who won a bunch of money from McDonald's. 488 00:31:52,330 --> 00:31:55,370 Speaker 3: Now the monopoly campaign's been around for a few years 489 00:31:55,410 --> 00:31:58,410 Speaker 3: at this point, and it's so popular that anyone who 490 00:31:58,530 --> 00:32:01,490 Speaker 3: knows Jerry knows that he's in charge of the prizes. 491 00:32:02,250 --> 00:32:05,090 Speaker 3: It's like he's their man on the inside. For the 492 00:32:05,170 --> 00:32:08,090 Speaker 3: people bold enough to ask him for a favor. His 493 00:32:08,250 --> 00:32:10,970 Speaker 3: local butcher in Atlanta is one of the first to 494 00:32:11,090 --> 00:32:13,930 Speaker 3: come to Jerry and make the request. He wants to 495 00:32:13,970 --> 00:32:17,850 Speaker 3: win a prize, but Jerry's not sure that's a good idea. 496 00:32:18,810 --> 00:32:21,370 Speaker 3: It'd be too easy to make the connection between the 497 00:32:21,450 --> 00:32:24,690 Speaker 3: two of them, he says, But the butcher isn't phased. 498 00:32:25,370 --> 00:32:29,170 Speaker 3: They'll find a distant relative to claim the prize. After 499 00:32:29,330 --> 00:32:32,090 Speaker 3: thinking it over for a few days, Jerry decides, yeah, 500 00:32:32,170 --> 00:32:34,930 Speaker 3: that's a good plan. Of course, he's not just gonna 501 00:32:35,010 --> 00:32:38,730 Speaker 3: give the winning piece away with Marvin. He asks for 502 00:32:38,810 --> 00:32:41,690 Speaker 3: a fifty percent cut of the money, but he's willing 503 00:32:41,770 --> 00:32:45,050 Speaker 3: to take less this time, so he sells the ten 504 00:32:45,130 --> 00:32:48,250 Speaker 3: thousand dollars instant winner to his butcher for two thousand 505 00:32:48,290 --> 00:32:54,210 Speaker 3: dollars cash. Easy money, but I mean it can't last. Eventually, 506 00:32:54,330 --> 00:32:57,450 Speaker 3: the fervor around the monopoly game gets so big that 507 00:32:57,650 --> 00:33:02,210 Speaker 3: McDonald's decides it's time to change up its procedures. Instead 508 00:33:02,250 --> 00:33:05,450 Speaker 3: of individual game pieces that get handed to customers with 509 00:33:05,570 --> 00:33:08,770 Speaker 3: their purchase, the tokens are pealed off a secure role 510 00:33:08,850 --> 00:33:12,330 Speaker 3: behind I'm the counter. So for the next couple of years, 511 00:33:12,610 --> 00:33:15,450 Speaker 3: Jerry is cut out of the chain of distribution and 512 00:33:15,610 --> 00:33:19,130 Speaker 3: his little side hustle is put on hold. But it's 513 00:33:19,170 --> 00:33:25,050 Speaker 3: only temporary. It's nineteen ninety five and Jerry Jacobson's fifty two. 514 00:33:26,090 --> 00:33:29,090 Speaker 3: Just before nine am, he pulls into his parking spot 515 00:33:29,170 --> 00:33:31,250 Speaker 3: at Simon Marketing and heads inside. 516 00:33:31,930 --> 00:33:34,850 Speaker 1: It's one of the days he needs to use his cane. 517 00:33:35,250 --> 00:33:39,090 Speaker 3: Since his Gillan vret diagnoses fifteen years ago, the cane 518 00:33:39,210 --> 00:33:41,370 Speaker 3: is something he has to rely on from time to 519 00:33:41,490 --> 00:33:44,770 Speaker 3: time now. He makes his way through the building and 520 00:33:44,890 --> 00:33:48,130 Speaker 3: up to his office. That's when he sees it. A 521 00:33:48,210 --> 00:33:51,690 Speaker 3: box on his desk. It's smaller than a shoe box 522 00:33:51,770 --> 00:33:56,570 Speaker 3: and has stickers marking at Urgent and Fragile. Curious, he 523 00:33:56,770 --> 00:33:59,290 Speaker 3: sits down and grabs a pair of scissors to cut 524 00:33:59,330 --> 00:34:03,690 Speaker 3: through the tape. Inside is just one thing, but it's 525 00:34:03,810 --> 00:34:09,130 Speaker 3: worth millions. It's a thick roll of holographic stickers, the 526 00:34:09,290 --> 00:34:12,730 Speaker 3: kind Simon Marketing and Dittler Brothers used to transport the 527 00:34:12,810 --> 00:34:14,690 Speaker 3: McDonald's Monopoly game pieces. 528 00:34:15,610 --> 00:34:17,610 Speaker 1: Recently, the campaign has evolved. 529 00:34:18,370 --> 00:34:21,810 Speaker 3: Now the tokens are stuck directly onto product packaging like 530 00:34:21,890 --> 00:34:26,090 Speaker 3: cups and fry boxes, so Jerry's once again responsible for 531 00:34:26,210 --> 00:34:29,410 Speaker 3: bringing the winning pieces around the country where they're applied 532 00:34:29,450 --> 00:34:33,730 Speaker 3: at random during the production process. Just to be clear, 533 00:34:33,930 --> 00:34:39,130 Speaker 3: these stickers absolutely should not be on Jerry's desk. They 534 00:34:39,170 --> 00:34:41,650 Speaker 3: should have been delivered to someone else at the company, 535 00:34:42,210 --> 00:34:45,090 Speaker 3: because giving him access to a huge supply of these 536 00:34:45,130 --> 00:34:48,610 Speaker 3: stickers is removing a key obstacle to getting his hands 537 00:34:48,650 --> 00:34:53,170 Speaker 3: on the big ticket prizes. Jerry recognizes that right away, 538 00:34:53,330 --> 00:34:55,890 Speaker 3: and his brain kicks into high gear. It's time to 539 00:34:55,970 --> 00:34:59,650 Speaker 3: restart a scheme, and this time he's gonna take it 540 00:34:59,770 --> 00:35:04,250 Speaker 3: up a notch. By the time the stickers are mistakenly 541 00:35:04,370 --> 00:35:08,370 Speaker 3: delivered to Jerry Jacobson's desk, he's become disillusioned with the 542 00:35:08,490 --> 00:35:12,690 Speaker 3: job to think made him special. It's nothing his company's done, 543 00:35:12,970 --> 00:35:18,010 Speaker 3: it's their client McDonald's. Later, Jerry will tell the story 544 00:35:18,210 --> 00:35:21,290 Speaker 3: like this. He's in the room when the computer program 545 00:35:21,490 --> 00:35:24,450 Speaker 3: is randomizing where winning game pieces will be sent to. 546 00:35:24,730 --> 00:35:29,250 Speaker 3: That's standard, but that day the system designates a factory 547 00:35:29,370 --> 00:35:33,450 Speaker 3: in Canada as the lucky destination before anyone could start 548 00:35:33,530 --> 00:35:37,130 Speaker 3: the process to bring the pieces up north. Though McDonald's 549 00:35:37,170 --> 00:35:41,330 Speaker 3: executives order Jerry to run the program again. They don't 550 00:35:41,370 --> 00:35:46,450 Speaker 3: want any of the big winners going to Canada ever. Again, 551 00:35:46,810 --> 00:35:49,610 Speaker 3: this is Jerry's version of events, and there's no public 552 00:35:49,730 --> 00:35:53,410 Speaker 3: evidence backing up his story, but he'll later point to 553 00:35:53,530 --> 00:35:56,570 Speaker 3: this moment as his reason for doing what he does next, 554 00:35:57,610 --> 00:36:00,770 Speaker 3: because after he gets his hands on those stickers, Jerry 555 00:36:00,930 --> 00:36:04,690 Speaker 3: uses them to steal the highest value game pieces, and 556 00:36:04,850 --> 00:36:09,130 Speaker 3: how he does it is laughably simple. Remember that the 557 00:36:09,330 --> 00:36:13,530 Speaker 3: envelopes containing the winners are locked in a briefcase. Jerry 558 00:36:13,610 --> 00:36:16,090 Speaker 3: puts the code in for one lock, and the independent 559 00:36:16,170 --> 00:36:20,410 Speaker 3: auditor chooses the other code. They're each supposed to look 560 00:36:20,450 --> 00:36:23,210 Speaker 3: away while the other sets their code, but Jerry just 561 00:36:23,370 --> 00:36:26,530 Speaker 3: makes a show of looking away. He quickly peeks while 562 00:36:26,570 --> 00:36:30,810 Speaker 3: the auditor spins the dials. Now he's got both codes 563 00:36:30,850 --> 00:36:35,370 Speaker 3: to open a briefcase. Still, once the envelope is inside 564 00:36:35,410 --> 00:36:38,210 Speaker 3: the case, it's handcuffed to Jerry's wrist and the two 565 00:36:38,290 --> 00:36:41,530 Speaker 3: of them go straight to the airport. The auditors by 566 00:36:41,610 --> 00:36:44,570 Speaker 3: his side the entire time. That's her job to keep 567 00:36:44,650 --> 00:36:49,050 Speaker 3: him honest, but Jerry finds an easy workaround. Once they 568 00:36:49,130 --> 00:36:51,610 Speaker 3: get off the plane at their destination, he says he's 569 00:36:51,610 --> 00:36:54,050 Speaker 3: got to use the bathroom. Then he just walks into 570 00:36:54,130 --> 00:36:58,050 Speaker 3: the men's room alone while the auditor waits patiently outside. 571 00:36:58,250 --> 00:37:01,650 Speaker 3: Jerry locks himself in a stall, opens the briefcase and 572 00:37:01,770 --> 00:37:05,370 Speaker 3: removes the envelope. He peels the sticker up, tips the 573 00:37:05,490 --> 00:37:08,610 Speaker 3: couple dozen pieces into his pocket, and replaces them with 574 00:37:08,690 --> 00:37:11,450 Speaker 3: a bunch of worthless pieces he swiped from the factory. 575 00:37:12,210 --> 00:37:16,090 Speaker 3: Then he reseals the envelope with a brand newsticker, locks 576 00:37:16,130 --> 00:37:19,330 Speaker 3: it inside the briefcase again, and heads back to meet. 577 00:37:19,170 --> 00:37:21,650 Speaker 1: The auditor so they can carry on with their task. 578 00:37:22,730 --> 00:37:27,330 Speaker 3: No one ever notices what he's doing, so Jerry easily 579 00:37:27,450 --> 00:37:30,650 Speaker 3: starts making off with every high value ticket. 580 00:37:30,370 --> 00:37:33,290 Speaker 1: He can get his hands on. The only problem now 581 00:37:33,610 --> 00:37:34,650 Speaker 1: is what to do with them. 582 00:37:35,290 --> 00:37:38,130 Speaker 3: Obviously, he can't claim them for himself, but he's got 583 00:37:38,210 --> 00:37:39,850 Speaker 3: to be careful about who he gives them to. 584 00:37:40,570 --> 00:37:42,570 Speaker 1: He can't have anyone ratting him out. 585 00:37:44,090 --> 00:37:48,090 Speaker 3: After the successful test case with his stepbrother Marvin, Jerry 586 00:37:48,210 --> 00:37:52,410 Speaker 3: figures that he's someone he can trust, but Marvin's not interested. 587 00:37:53,090 --> 00:37:56,370 Speaker 1: He owns a successful business and he doesn't need the money. 588 00:37:57,170 --> 00:38:00,050 Speaker 3: So when Jerry starts giving him more winning game pieces, 589 00:38:00,450 --> 00:38:04,090 Speaker 3: Marvin tells his stepbrother that he doesn't want them. Helly 590 00:38:04,170 --> 00:38:08,050 Speaker 3: even drops a couple into Salvation Army donation tens and 591 00:38:08,210 --> 00:38:10,610 Speaker 3: one night, when and Jerry hands him the big one, 592 00:38:10,890 --> 00:38:14,490 Speaker 3: I mean the big one, a million dollar instant win piece, 593 00:38:14,730 --> 00:38:17,730 Speaker 3: Marvin knows exactly what to do to get the message 594 00:38:17,770 --> 00:38:21,970 Speaker 3: through to his brother. Right in front of Jerry. Marvin 595 00:38:22,090 --> 00:38:25,450 Speaker 3: walks over to a toilet, opens the lid, and drops 596 00:38:25,490 --> 00:38:30,810 Speaker 3: the piece in, then blush. The two of them literally 597 00:38:30,930 --> 00:38:35,330 Speaker 3: watch a million dollars go down the drain. Then Marvin 598 00:38:35,410 --> 00:38:38,090 Speaker 3: turns to Jerry and tells him to cut it out. 599 00:38:38,730 --> 00:38:40,890 Speaker 3: He's gotten away with it for now, but it's gonna 600 00:38:40,930 --> 00:38:45,090 Speaker 3: blow up in his face sooner or later. Jerry sighs 601 00:38:45,250 --> 00:38:48,930 Speaker 3: and tells Marvin he's right. He'll stop stealing pieces. It's 602 00:38:49,010 --> 00:38:53,050 Speaker 3: not worth the risk. Marvin goes home that night, thinking 603 00:38:53,130 --> 00:38:56,570 Speaker 3: he's turned his brother around. But here's the deal, Jerry 604 00:38:56,690 --> 00:39:01,890 Speaker 3: Jacobson is a liar. He's not going to stop. In fact, 605 00:39:02,290 --> 00:39:10,010 Speaker 3: he's just getting started from airship. This is episode one 606 00:39:10,210 --> 00:39:13,970 Speaker 3: in our series on the Great McDonald's Monopoly heist. On 607 00:39:14,090 --> 00:39:17,770 Speaker 3: the next episode, Jerry starts finding allies to help him 608 00:39:17,810 --> 00:39:20,930 Speaker 3: recruit winners for his scheme, but with every person who 609 00:39:21,010 --> 00:39:24,570 Speaker 3: gets roped in, the risk of getting caught goes way up. 610 00:39:31,050 --> 00:39:34,610 Speaker 3: We use many different sources while preparing this episode. A 611 00:39:34,690 --> 00:39:37,730 Speaker 3: few we can recommend to the Daily Beast article howen 612 00:39:37,810 --> 00:39:41,650 Speaker 3: ex cop Rick McDonald's Monopoly game and Stole Millions by 613 00:39:41,770 --> 00:39:46,570 Speaker 3: Jeff mash, the HBO documentary series mcmillions, and the book 614 00:39:46,690 --> 00:39:50,490 Speaker 3: of the same name by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarde. 615 00:39:51,410 --> 00:39:55,890 Speaker 3: This episode may contain reenactments or dramatized details, and while 616 00:39:55,970 --> 00:39:59,090 Speaker 3: in some cases we can't know exactly what happened, all 617 00:39:59,170 --> 00:40:04,010 Speaker 3: our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Criminal is 618 00:40:04,050 --> 00:40:08,850 Speaker 3: a co production of Airship and Evergreen Podcasts. It's hosted, edited, 619 00:40:08,890 --> 00:40:13,050 Speaker 3: and produced by me Jeremy Schwartz. Audio editing and sound 620 00:40:13,130 --> 00:40:17,490 Speaker 3: designed by Sean ruhl Hoffman. Music by throm This episode 621 00:40:17,610 --> 00:40:21,850 Speaker 3: is written and researched by Joel Callen, Managing producer Emily Burt. 622 00:40:22,290 --> 00:40:26,570 Speaker 3: Executive producers are Joel Callen, William Simpson, and Lindsay Graham. 623 00:40:37,530 --> 00:40:40,290 Speaker 2: If you want to know how Jerry's story ends. You 624 00:40:40,370 --> 00:40:43,650 Speaker 2: can find the rest of the great McDonald's monopoly heist, 625 00:40:43,850 --> 00:40:47,210 Speaker 2: and many more true stories of crime and punishment over 626 00:40:47,330 --> 00:40:50,610 Speaker 2: on American Criminal wherever you get your podcasts.