The Very Crazy Story of Crazy Eddie, the Electronics and Scamming Giant

On this episode of the 'Dirty Money' podcast, we close the circuit on a crooked discount electronics empire.

learn more about Entrepreneur Staff

By Entrepreneur Staff

New York Daily News Archive | Getty Images

Anyone who grew up in the New York/New Jersey area in the '70s and '80s remembers Crazy Eddie. It was an electronics retail store chain that had the most memorable and obnoxious commercials ever.

So the guy in the commercial was just an actor, but there was a real Crazy Eddie — and he was way wilder than the TV spokesman. Behind the scenes and the screams, Eddie Antar never met a scam he didn't love and was a pathological liar.

On this episode of Dirty Money, co-hosts Jon Small and Dan Bova speak with Gary Weiss, author of Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie, to get all the details on the electronics giant's gigantic scams, which earned him the nicknamed "the Darth Vader of capitalism" by U.S. Attorney Michael Chertoff.

Hold onto your wallets, this is going to be a wild one!

Related: The Twisted Scam that Bilked Movie Crews Out of Millions

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

Business News

The 'Airbnbust' Proves the Wild West Days of Online Vacation Rentals Are Over

Airbnb recently reported that 2022 was its first profitable year ever. But the deluge of new listings foreshadowed an inevitable correction.

Business Solutions

Master Coding for Less Than $2 a Course with This Jam-Packed Bundle

Make coding understandable with this beginner-friendly coding bundle, now just $19.99.

Business News

'I Don't Feel Like It's Unreasonable': A-List Actor Refused Service At Hotspot For Not Following Dress Code

Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe had quite the afternoon after trying to stop at a Japanese steakhouse in Melbourne, Australia following a game of tennis.