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Doctor Makes Millions Performing Bizarre Implant Surgery On this episode of 'Dirty Money,' we get to know a doctor who became very wealthy via a very suspect medical procedure.

By Dan Bova

Visual Studies Workshop | Getty Image

In the early 1900s, a "doctor" named John Romulus Brinkley became rich and famous by offering a unique cure to men who suffered from ED and an array of other maladies: he implanted goat testicles in them.

Now, you might guess that not too many guys would be willing to go under the knife for that, but you'd be wrong. For decades Brinkley was backing up the money truck to his clinics that operated all around the country. People desperately wanted his treatment to work and for a long time, were too embarrassed to admit when it didn't.

But the goat ball empire eventually imploded. Scrutiny from the medical community and a mountain of malpractice lawsuits left the millionaire discredited and running to Mexico, where he pioneered a new form of scamming at scale via a hugely popular radio show.

It's all incredibly bizarre, which is why we were so delighted to learn every strange twist and turn of this man's life on this episode of Dirty Money. Our guest Pope Brock tells us all about the crazy dealings, which he wrote about in his terrific book Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam. Truth is stranger than fiction is a bit of a cliche, but damn if it isn't appropriate in this case.

Thanks, as always, for listening. Please subscribe and leave us a review. It'll make you feel much better than a visit with Doc Brinkley, trust us!

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About Dirty Money

Dirty Money is a new podcast series from Entrepreneur Media telling the tales of legendary scammers, con artists, and barely-legal lowlifes who stop at nothing to bilk their marks of millions. Hosted by Entrepreneur editors Dan Bova and Jon Small, the podcast takes a deep dive into the deviants behind the deeds.

Related: Did the FBI Bust or Botch a Massive Chicago Stock Scam?

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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