In the Nineteen Ninety’s, Nigerian mastermind Emmanuel Nwude pulled off the great $242million  scam selling a completely non-existent airport in Abuja to Brazil’s Noroeste. Posing as the Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank Nwude promised $10million commission, and duped the bank’s director and pocketed $242million leaving the bank to collapse in 2001.

Nwude was eventually convicted and his assets seized though he later recovered $52million, claiming it was legally his.