Prince Michael Romanoff: The High Prince of Hollywood | 164

Polish immigrant Hershel Geguzin fled to the U. S. from the faltering Russian Empire at the turn of the 20th century. And like many scammers around this time, he adopts a fabulous new identity: as Prince Michael Romanoff, the last living member of the former Russian ruling family. Everyone knows the new prince is lying about his royal heritage, but he’s such a good hang, he floats from party to party across the U. S. and Europe for decades. In the end, Prince Michael sets up shop in Hollywood, hosting mega-stars from Humphrey Bogart to Frank Sinatra. Prince Michael’s story is the ultimate lesson in faking it until you make it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Scaachi Koul?

  Audible subscribers can listen to all our episodes of Scamfluencers ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. Heads up to our listeners. This episode contains reference to someone being drugged without their knowledge or consent. Listen with care.

• 0:21Scaachi Koul?

  Sarah, how much do you care about the Romanovs? Which is, as you know, the last royal dynasty in Russia. You know, it's one of those things where I know about it because of Anastasia, the movie, but I feel like I should be really interested in it, but I don't know where to start because there's just so much there. Okay, well, the only reason I care about the family is because of the 1997 Fox Animation Studios classic, Anastasia. I was gonna ask you if you've seen it as a kid, but it's clear you've seen it. Oh, yeah, it was so, I mean, it's a very beautiful film, and the guy in it's so hot. Sarah? I was so ready to defend. Defend what beauty? To defend that movie being responsible for so much of my sexual awakening as a child.

• 1:04Scaachi Koul?

  No, he's the hottest cartoon ever. It's crazy. Oh, God, okay, that's for another podcast later. Anyway, I'm bringing up this weird movie from our childhood because it's inexplicably related to yet another scam. You know what I loved about Anastasia? The idea that you could maybe secretly be royalty. And today's scammer combined that delicious potential with being a really fun hang, which made everyone want to believe in his highness.

• 1:35Scaachi Koul?

  It's a hot summer evening in 1927, and Theodore Lodiensky is on his way to a fabulous Hollywood dinner party. Theodore is in his early 50s. He's a tall, good-looking man with a thin mustache. He grew up in Russia and served as a general in their army until about 10 years ago. He actually served with the Russian Imperial Guard, which means he was there when hundreds of thousands of disgruntled Russians revolted against the monarchy in 1917. Not long after, the czar, Nicholas Romanov, abdicated his throne. And the following year, Romanov and his entire family were executed, ending a 300-year-old dynasty. After the revolution, Theodore left Russia and moved to Los Angeles, where he makes a living playing Russian characters in movies.

• 2:20Scaachi Koul?

  Theodore is well-connected in the Russian expat community in the US. So naturally, he hears a lot of gossip, including stories about another Russian exile in LA who claims to be one of the last surviving members of the Russian royal family, Prince Michael Romanoff. Michael is far from the only royal pretender. Around this time, a lot of people are claiming to be Romanoff family members who somehow managed to escape the revolution. And maybe some of them are actually distinctly related. But Theodore believes Michael is a total fraud. Theodore claims he knew the actual Prince Michael back in Russia, and that guy is very much dead. Even more insulting to Theodore, the fake Michael has started working in the movie business.

• 3:05Scaachi Koul?

  Fake Michael refuses to speak Russian, and he treats Russian actors and extras on set badly. It's driving Theodore nuts. Okay, is this guy even Russian? That's what I'm now wondering. Me thinks no.

• 3:23Scaachi Koul?

  No spoilers, but you might be on to something. For years, Theodore has been trying to expose this so-called prince to anyone who will listen. But the thing about Michael is everyone who meets him just seems to really like him. They'd rather be entertained by his lies than bored by the truth. Now, as Theodore walks into the house for the dinner party, he quickly spots his nemesis. And frankly, it's hard to miss him. Like Theodore, the so-called prince has a small, neat mustache. But this guy is nearly a foot shorter than Theodore and is wildly overdressed in a tux and tails. Theodore steps directly in front of Michael, blocking his path, and tells Michael that he knows he's a liar. Theodore is pleased with himself.

• 4:07Scaachi Koul?

  Surely now that the prince knows Theodore is on to him, he will run and hide in shame. But Michael just smiles and tells him that, quote, "A Romanoff never degrades himself by having controversy with an inferior." And then, he walks away. Listen, that is true that a Romanoff probably would never Publicly degrade themselves with a controversy with an inferior. But it's also like, you're in America now, bro. Also, there's so many red flags. Office this guy's a liar, but that would piss me off if I was like, I know you. And the person's like, a true prince must never reveal his secrets. I'm like, I'm going to kill you now.

• 4:48Scaachi Koul?

  Yeah, well, much like you, Theodore is also so furious that shortly after the party, he calls up a local paper to tell them about this faker. The Los Angeles Examiner runs a front page story exposing Prince Michael Romanoff as a fraud, and this finally gets Michael to leave town. Theodore thinks he's won, but he doesn't know that this isn't the first time Michael's scam has been exposed, and it won't be the last. Michael is extremely charming and utterly shameless, and he's going to give a whole new meaning to fake it until you make it.

• 5:27Speaker 01

  I'm Gemma Whelan, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, The Spy Who Was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War I secret agent, accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans, but was she a temptress or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari, early and ad free on Audible.

• 5:57Speaker 02

  In New Orleans, truckers kept getting sideswiped the exact same way. When a man is found murdered under questionable circumstances related to these accidents, the rubber hits the road. Listen to Over My Dead Body: Operation Sideswipe wherever you get your podcasts.

• 6:20Scaachi Koul?

  From Wondery, I'm Sachi Cole. And I'm Sarah Hagee. And this is Scamfluencers.

• 6:34Scaachi Koul?

  Long before Anna Delvey turned a fake accent into a scamming career, Prince Michael Romanoff faked his way into the company of the rich and famous. But unlike most of our scammers, Michael gets found out again and again and again. And he just keeps scamming. Along the way, he sleeps in graveyards, cons his way into Harvard, and escapes Ellis Island twice. But after spending decades charming his way into the most exclusive circles, he makes a late-in-life turn to the ultimate Hollywood kingmaker. I'm calling this one, "Michael Romanoff: The High Prince of Hollywood."

• 7:12Scaachi Koul?

  Lying is so critical to the man who will become Michael Romanoff that uncertainty surrounds his story literally from birth. Here's what we do know. He's born Herschel Goguzin in the Russian Empire in the late 1800s. American immigration officials will later claim that he was born in 1890, but his family says that even they aren't sure of the exact year. Herschel's parents are Jewish and working class, and he has five siblings. Their father dies a few months before Herschel is born. Right from the jump, Herschel is a menace. He doesn't like school or chores and sometimes runs away to avoid doing them. There's a lot of antisemitism in 1890s Russia, and his mom is terrified that he'll be kidnapped and killed. So when an extended family member

• 7:57Scaachi Koul?

  decides to move to New York, she pays them to take Herschel, too.

• 8:02Scaachi Koul?

  Herschel's first American home is a Lower East Side tenement. There's no indoor bathroom and barely any plumbing. So Herschel picks up where he left off in the old country, and he runs away. He's quickly picked up by an orphanage, but he's kicked out for bad behavior. From then on, Herschel goes on a kind of grand tour of local children's homes. At one point, he winds up at a facility in a tony Westchester suburb. And there, Herschel turns into a juvenile delinquent with a purpose. Herschel's wealthy neighbors take an interest in the orphans coming up from the city. And he uses the opportunity to study the wealthy: their tastes, their habits, the way they speak. He learns how to talk to rich people and pull on their heartstrings with tales of his life as a poor little orphan boy.

• 8:48Scaachi Koul?

  I mean, yes, as he should. What else would he be doing, right? Yeah, this is the part of the scam I'm totally fine with. But then, in his late teens, Herschel gets put onto something called an orphan train, which is supposed to introduce city kids to the pleasures of country living and hard work. In Herschel's case, he's sent to work on a farm in central Illinois. He immediately flees the farm and convinces a local banker to take him in. But he messes things up with the banker and ends up out on the street again. Later, this banker says that Herschel was, quote, "one of the most convincing liars you can imagine." Eventually, Herschel is tired of being sent away in disgrace. So, like many Americans in search of sophistication, he starts looking for opportunities overseas.

• 9:33Scaachi Koul?

  When he's 19 years old, Herschel gets a job on a cattle ship bound for England. And there, he'll take the idea of reinventing himself to a whole new level.

• 9:44Scaachi Koul?

  It's 1921. Herschel is around 30 years old, and he's finally surrounded by the luxury he's always craved. He's sitting at the bar at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, having a drink. This is famously "the" place for American expats in the city. During the roaring twenties, both Ernest Hemingway and the Fitzgeralds are regulars. Herschel looks like he belongs here, and that's because he spent the last decade transforming himself from an upstart ragamuffin into a sophisticated man of the world. When he first got off the cattle ship in England, he headed for Oxford, where he worked in a clothing repair shop. It's likely he also served as a personal valet to some of the students there, helping him pick up an upper-crust British accent, as well as an insider's knowledge of the aristocracy.

• 10:28Scaachi Koul?

  Herschel's transformation didn't stop there. He started adopting different identities with names like Willoughby de Bourgh, which got him invited to private, elite social clubs. But his new persona also got the attention of British immigration authorities, who realized he wasn't who he said he was. At that point, it was 1915, and the country was embroiled in World War I. So Britain couldn't deport him. Instead, Michael was sent to a mental institution, and then to prison.

• 10:57Scaachi Koul?

  We don't know how he got from there to the Paris Ritz, but here he is. He's kept the accent, and he's found an identity that he likes even better than Willoughby. These days, Herschel is calling himself Prince Michael Alexandrovich Dmitri Obolensky Romanov. Like I mentioned before, this is the right time to be claiming you're an exiled Russian noble. For the last few years, the country has been torn apart by a civil war. So it's not like anyone has the time or interest to fact-check Michael's story. You think they would know who a prince is and who a prince isn't. Also, wouldn't someone want him dead? Yeah, you're asking the right question, Sarah. Yeah, I mean, I know it's the past and they don't have the internet, but there are some pretty basic questions here. I agree, simple questions.

• 11:42Scaachi Koul?

  But the thing is, the Romanov persona, plus his natural charisma, have made Michael very popular. People offer him everything from free drinks to loans to help this poor, down-on-his-luck former royal stay afloat. Michael always humbly accepts and assures them that he'll pay them back as soon as the Romanov family treasures arrive. They're just being shipped over from war-torn Russia, you see. Michael uses these ill-gotten gains to indulge in some very expensive tastes, some of which he can't afford even with the handouts. He frequents the best tailors, bootmakers, jewelers, and tobacconists in Paris and London. In particular, he's become a fan of one of the most expensive tobacco brands in the world. It's called Royal Yacht, and it costs $10 a pound,

• 12:27Scaachi Koul?

  which is nearly $180 a pound in today's money. I know that he probably has some goodwill getting loans from people, and also, he can justify it by saying that he's exiled. But that luck does run out eventually when you can't really turn your clout into anything else. Yeah, Sarah. Unsurprisingly, Michael's IOUs start piling up, and shopkeepers take notice. One of the London tobacconists he frequents is suspicious enough to force Michael to pay cash up front. So Michael waits till the manager is on vacation to visit the shop again. Michael has finally found a shtick that works, but he's ready to up his game. So he's heading to America to try to make his mark

• 13:10Scaachi Koul?

  on some of the biggest and most storied institutions in the world.

• 13:16Scaachi Koul?

  In November of 1922, Michael hears about a ship called the President Adams, which is about to set sail for New York. The US government is offering free passage to anyone who got stranded in Europe after the war and can't afford to come home any other way. Michael gets a spot on the ship, but when he gets to America, he has a problem. He has to clear customs, and he has no immigration records that match his current legal name. Immigration officials aren't convinced that he's actually an American citizen, so they bring him to Ellis Island while they figure out what to do with him. Michael insists that he was born and raised in New York, but he can't answer any follow-up questions, like what neighborhoods he grew up in or where he went to school. So he decides to double down

• 13:59Scaachi Koul?

  and comes up with his most self-destructive fibvia. Michael explains that he has a hard time remembering things because he killed a German Baron in a duel and spent years in solitary confinement, which ruined his memory.

• 14:14Scaachi Koul?

  This guy is stolen valor. It's one of the dumbest lies. It's too elaborate. You are an exiled prince. You can come up with different trauma. Yeah, and I mean, this doesn't answer any of the immigration officer's questions. Plus, now they think he's a murderer. So they detain Michael on the island while they figure out what to do. But Michael goes back to his old habit of running away. He makes a daring escape, and a few weeks later, he's sitting in a suite at the Hotel Belmont. This place is a perfect fit for Michael's oversized dreams. It overlooks Park Avenue, and its owners claim that it's the tallest hotel in the world. This is where Michael plans his royal reintroduction to America. Michael has called the press to let them know that a lost Russian prince

• 14:59Scaachi Koul?

  has washed up on their shores. Now, reporters from publications like The New York Times are here at the Belmont to hear him out. Michael passes around letters of introduction from foreign nobles and well-known Americans he says he met in Paris. We're not sure where he got them or how many of them are forged. Michael also tells the story of how he escaped from Ellis Island. He says he wrapped his belongings up in a scarf and held it between his teeth as he braved the Atlantic's waves. When he arrived at land, there was a seawall blocking his way. But luckily, some police officers were walking by. He called out to them and told them he'd fallen into the water after one too many cocktails. The officers gallantly helped him ashore. Immigration officers, for the record, claimed that he got a ferryboat captain

• 15:44Scaachi Koul?

  to give him a ride. You know, the thing about him is that his lies are so fun. He's just like a wind-up doll and everything he says is just a new, fun lie. I get wanting to hear more from him. Yeah, well, Michael says the real reason that he's doing this press conference is because despite his connections, no one will give him a job. He's willing to do anything, sweep floors or operate elevators. But he claims that everyone assumes a prince is above such menial tasks. The New York Times publishes his story and claims to trace Michael's lineage back to the 1300s. And this kind of publicity means he doesn't have to get a regular job. Instead, he gets fancy dinner invitations and is paid to give lectures all over Manhattan about,

• 16:29Scaachi Koul?

  quote, "Russia: Past and Present." Michael demands a police escort because he claims there are still people who want to take down the rest of the czar's family. Everything is working out perfectly until Michael goes to pick up some of his favorite expensive tobacco. It turns out that his nemesis, the shopkeeper from London, has been transferred to the New York store. And this guy recognizes Michael and starts spreading the word that he is not who he says he is. Truly, what are the odds? What are the odds that it's the same guy? Oh, my God, that's kind of beautiful. So Michael decides to take his show on the road. If an elite institution like the New York Times will buy his story,

• 17:13Scaachi Koul?

  he figures, why not go for gold? He heads north to Boston and shows up at Harvard. It's unclear if he actually enrolls in school or just starts hanging around campus. But Michael makes his usual splash. He strolls the quad in a monocle and top hat. He spends a lot of time at the best hotel in town, throwing parties awash in champagne and caviar. But he can't afford his lifestyle. And when the hotel presents him with the bill, Michael throws a fit. He claims his people are used to settling their debts once a year, and he blows them off. And they threaten to press charges. At this point, Harvard gets involved and discovers that he's not really a Romanoff. Sarah, can you read what he reportedly says when Harvard officials confront him? Of course. He says,

• 17:57Scaachi Koul?

  "Gentlemen, I must decline to discuss the matter."

• 18:03Scaachi Koul?

  You know, it's like there's something about these types of liars where they just say something so insane that you're kind of thrown off, which almost gives them an upper hand. Yeah. Where you're like, what? Wait a second, you could just do that? You could just say, "I decline"? Yeah, it's like he's in another reality. Yes, exactly. Well, Michael clearly can't stay in Cambridge any longer, but at least now he can claim to be a Harvard man. For Michael, there's no meaningful distinction between what's true and what's false. There's just whatever people want to believe. But he's been living this double life for decades. And soon, his body will start suffering the strain of all of his lies.

• 18:43Scaachi Koul?

  It's August of 1924, and Michael is in the great hall of a mansion so grand it has a name: Sandy Point Farm. Sounds humble, but it's actually the Vanderbilt family's Rhode Island getaway, and it's beyond luxurious, with baccarat crystal chandeliers and tables gilded in literal platinum. Tonight, Gloria Vanderbilt is throwing herself a 20th birthday party. And just to be clear, this Gloria is the mother of the one who will go on to become a famous jeans designer. Michael wasn't invited to this party, but he isn't worried. He's used to charming his way into fancy places. But Gloria has big, dark eyes that seem to see right through him. She starts asking pointed questions about Michael's background. He does his best to deflect her curiosity,

• 19:28Scaachi Koul?

  but finally, she's had enough. She tells him, "The truth of the matter is that you are no more Prince Michael Romanoff than I am, because he does not exist." I mean, props to Gloria, because she's famous enough to know who is impressive and who isn't. And she's just kind of like, nah. I know what's real and what's not. You aren't it, bro.

• 19:51Scaachi Koul?

  Yeah, takes a lot to faze Gloria. But Michael isn't bothered by her accusation. He's been discovered plenty at this point. And honestly, it's become part of his mystique. This is smack dab in the middle of the roaring twenties, and a lot of people think Michael is a gas to have at parties. It doesn't matter that he's lying, as long as everyone around him is having fun. So despite the occasional humiliation, Michael is fully committed to this double life. Publicly, he continues to claim that he's a prince. But when that doesn't work, he stays with family in New York. Michael's younger sister, Olga, managed to escape Russia and now has an apartment in Manhattan. She puts him up when he can't afford or convince anyone to give him anything better.

• 20:35Scaachi Koul?

  But all of this lying seems like it starts to put Michael on edge. One time, a restaurant gives him white fish eggs, claiming they're Romanoff caviar. And Michael is so offended

• 20:47Scaachi Koul?

  that he starts a fight with the restaurant owner and two waiters, which lands him in jail for a few days. His brushes with the law mean that more people are investigating Michael's past. At one point, a probation officer does some real digging, and he puts together a pretty damning picture of Michael's actual life so far and all of the lies he's told. Sari, can you read what Michael says when the officer confronts him? Yeah, he says, "Have you ever been in a bear room in a new house with a view overlooking the park? You look at the park, and it's marvelous. You look at the bear walls, and you find them absolutely repulsive. They cry for adornment. That is I. Frankly, I will lie to you as long as you know me. If I told you the truth, I would feel like a bear wall."

• 21:32Scaachi Koul?

  Okay, no offense, but it's like, yeah, we all are insecure.

• 21:37Scaachi Koul?

  It's kind of a thing you grow out of, dude. Yeah, you're right, you're right. Well, by January of 1927, Michael is in a bad way. He's still staying at his sister's, but he's not eating enough and his health is suffering. But another glamorous, high society event is coming up: the Bozart Ball. And just like the Vanderbilt Ball, he's not gonna miss it. The day of the event, Michael is drinking at a speakeasy, moaning to friends that he doesn't have a ticket. When they mockingly sympathize with him, Michael draws himself up and makes a promise. He says at 1 a.m. he will make his entrance at the ball, wearing the best costume of the night. We don't know exactly how Michael gets his ticket.

• 22:19Scaachi Koul?

  He probably uses one of his favorite tricks: standing outside the door with his hand out, waiting for someone to mistake him for a ticket taker and hand over their invite. However he gets in, as the clock strikes one, Michael bursts into the ballroom of the Hotel Astor, dressed as an 18th-century French king. His entrance is like an exclamation point on the night's festivities. Everyone is thrilled to see him defying expectations yet again. This guy truly lands on his feet. You know what it is with him? He's not trying a new grift. He's so determined to find someone who will be convinced by him. And these little wins are what keeps him going, you know? Almost admirable.

• 23:03Scaachi Koul?

  But being this fabulous has taken its toll. Michael hasn't been taking care of himself, and the next day, he collapses on the sidewalk. He's taken to the hospital and diagnosed with pneumonia and malnutrition. Michael may have reached the end of his East Coast con, and he's already burned London and Paris. He needs a new home. But this time, it'll be in the land of true fakes: Hollywood.

• 23:32Speaker 03

  Ghosts aren't real. At least, that's what journalist Tristan Redmond always believed. Sure, odd things happen in his childhood bedroom, but ultimately, he shrugged them off. Until he discovered that he wasn't alone, that everyone who lived thereafter him also had bizarre experiences they couldn't explain. And it gets even weirder. It just so happens that his wife's great-grandmother was murdered in the house next door. Is this ghost somehow connected to her murder? He decides to go where no son-in-law should, digging up a cold case and asking questions that nobody wants answered. Like, could his wife's great-grandfather have gotten away with the perfect crime? This is a podcast about family secrets, overwhelming coincidence, and the things that come back to haunt us.

• 24:17Speaker 03

  For the best bingeable series like Ghost Story, listen to the Audible True Crime Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can get all episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 24:32Speaker 04

  There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and the Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership. And discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.

• 25:16Speaker 04

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.

• 25:40Scaachi Koul?

  It's 1927, a few months since Michael's collapse on the sidewalk. He's at Grand Central Station, preparing to say goodbye to New York. After he got out of the hospital, some of his friends sat him down. They said they thought it was time for him to leave the cold, damp East Coast. So they pooled their money and they bought him a one-way train ticket to LA. And now, Michael is heading west. Of course, he arranged a big send-off for himself, including calling the press. He boards the train and heads to the rear platform so everyone can see him getting his last look at Manhattan. But none of the photographers he called have shown up. As the train pulls out of the station, he shouts out, "Where are those damn photographers?"

• 26:22Scaachi Koul?

  You know, it's kind of beautiful thinking about the art of someone calling photographers for themselves, you know? Like, it just never goes away. It's always existed. People still do it now. It's refreshing, you know? Yeah, a tale as old as time. Well, in Los Angeles, Michael encounters Theodore Yodianski, the real Russian actor who exposes him in "The Los Angeles Examiner." Michael hits back with an interview in "The LA Times." He says he's been misunderstood. And he deflects by claiming that he's going to walk and hitchhike back to New York. He definitely has not lost his gift for attracting attention. Michael spends the next few years crisscrossing the country and repeating his well-worn scam cycle.

• 27:04Scaachi Koul?

  But then, in late 1929, the stock market crashes and the Great Depression begins. Suddenly, even his wealthiest benefactors are feeling the pinch. Michael's scamming isn't so funny anymore. This forces him into a dark new corner. Michael gets... a job. Wow. Recession indicator much?

• 27:27Scaachi Koul?

  Princes are working now? Damn. Yeah, comes for us all. He ends up working at a detective agency, where one of his clients is a wealthy man named Edward Gould. Edward wants to divorce his wife, Wilma, but at this point, divorces are hard to come by. So Michael's job is to make it look like Wilma is cheating on Edward. This will give him grounds to end their marriage for good. The detective agency arranges for Michael to meet Wilma in person. The two of them start going to dinner together. And during one date, Michael slips some so-called knockout drops into her coffee. Michael brings a drugged Wilma to a nearby apartment and waits for her husband and a bunch of witnesses to bang down the door to supposedly catch the two of them together.

• 28:10Scaachi Koul?

  For the record, it doesn't seem like he actually touches her, but what he did do is bad enough. When the group barges in, Michael brings the theatrics. He bellows, "Who enters the bedchamber of a Romanoff?" This guy can't do anything right. Like, what the hell is this? This is the scheme? It's so difficult. He lives for drama, I guess. Yeah, he's not good at this. Wilma is no dummy. She sues her husband and the detective agency. The lawsuit quickly digs up a lot of dirt on Michael. He tries to run from it in Los Angeles and then briefly in Reno. But his checks keep bouncing, and America just isn't doing it for him the way it once was.

• 28:52Scaachi Koul?

  So Michael decides to see if he still has any friends in Europe. Friends or not, they certainly remember him. He shows up at the Ritz bar in Paris, where the manager greets him with his unpaid bill from 1922. Things don't improve from there. And after nearly a year abroad, Michael realizes that there's no place like home. So he's ready to sail back to America and hopefully this time, avoid another stay at Alice Island.

• 29:19Scaachi Koul?

  It's April 1932, and Michael is sitting in the first-class dining room on an ocean liner sailing from New York. He boarded without a ticket and has spent at least a few nights sleeping in the dog kennels on the top deck. But that hasn't stopped him from charming his way into the most elite social circles onboard. One passenger is so charmed that a few nights before the end of the voyage, they start wandering the ship looking for Michael. They want to invite him to their cocktail party, but he's nowhere to be found. So they ask the stewards where Michael Romanoff is bunked. But the stewards can't find that name on their passenger list. And then they get suspicious. Later, as Michael leaves the dining room, the ship's officers approach him and ask him what his cabin number is.

• 30:03Scaachi Koul?

  Michael declares, "The whole ship is my cabin." But the officers are not charmed. They take him into custody. So once again, Michael is sent straight to Ellis Island when the ship enters New York's harbors. He still doesn't have proof of citizenship, which means he's probably about to get deported back to France. But first, he asks permission to go to Manhattan to pick up some clothes he has in storage. And for some reason, the immigration officials, who might have known about his first escape, agree. Oh my god, that's awesome for him. The thing is, he does have these small wins where you're like, you know, if you just try it one more time. He's scrappy, I'll give him that. They assign Michael a guard for his trip into Manhattan,

• 30:47Scaachi Koul?

  but this guard is not immune to Michael's joie de vivre. Because when Michael asks if they can stop by a speakeasy for one last drink, the guard agrees. Everyone at the bar is thrilled to see him. And the guard is reportedly starstruck by all of Michael's fancy friends. Michael bounces him from one speakeasy to another, and eventually, the guard gets really drunk. He actually falls asleep at one of the bars. Michael seizes this opportunity and he runs off. But ever the gentleman, he calls Ellis Island the next morning to ask how the guard is doing and to say that they really shouldn't blame him for the escape. You know what? I'm starting to believe this guy is royalty.

• 31:32Scaachi Koul?

  Yeah, that is actually pretty regal. Well, not long after, police officers arrest Michael as he's leaving the building where all of his clothes are stored. And he is, in fact, deported back to France, where he tries to stow away and gets caught and sent to jail. But people... People remain fascinated by him. In 1932, The New Yorker starts publishing a five-part series on the supposed prince's real story. This story turns Michael into a full-blown national celebrity, which means that the immigration commissioner is more determined than ever not to let this guy pull one over on him. Again. In December of 1932, just six months after his deportation, French authorities notify America that Michael is about to be released from jail.

• 32:16Scaachi Koul?

  In response, the American immigration commissioner increases security at every port in New York and New Jersey. They're not letting him back in the country. But within a few weeks, rumors start circulating that Michael has been spotted at a midtown speakeasy. How? How does he keep doing this? Kind of a likely place for him to be. What is going on? It's like he's in a video game and it's really like, it's insane. Well, Michael avoids his regular speakeasies, but he cannot go without his favorite tobacco. A week after his first sighting in New York, Michael pops by a shop to pick up some royal yacht, and his enemy from London is there. Remember the guy who blew up Michael's spot during his first day in New York? Yes, I do remember him.

• 33:01Scaachi Koul?

  Well, by this point, Michael's charm has finally won even this guy over. But the shopkeeper has heard from immigration that he has to turn Michael over if he sees him. So he does, reluctantly, which is how Michael ends up back on Ellis Island for a third time. This time, however, Michael has resources. He manages to get two lawyers on his side, along with some supporters, who post his bail, which means that while the government opens an investigation into whether he's a citizen or not, Michael is free to do as he pleases. All of these misadventures have only made Michael's star burn brighter. He gets a contract for $500 a week with the RKO Theater in Manhattan. This would be close to $12,000 a week now.

• 33:45Scaachi Koul?

  Michael takes the stage while the Russian National Anthem plays, and then he tells the story of his imperial Russian heritage, even though- Though at this point, everyone is very clear that he is no prince. I don't understand this. How is anyone benefiting from this? How is he able to do this when he's a known liar? Okay, whatever. You know what? I'm just jealous at this point. Well, here's the problem. Michael's talent as an actor does not extend to the stage. And New York is still in the grip of the Depression. So Michael is ready to try Los Angeles one more time. And luckily, the city has finally figured out what to do with him. Treat him like the celebrity he is.

• 34:25Scaachi Koul?

  It's a few years later, and Michael is around 50 years old. But he hasn't slowed down one bit. In fact, he's in the middle of a raucous night out. He's got a pair of dice in one hand and a drink in the other. He's surrounded by celebrities at one of the most exclusive spots in Hollywood, The Clover Club on Sunset Boulevard. The Clover Club seems pretty typical. There's music, food, and plenty of dancing. But it has a seedier attraction as well: illegal gambling. The Great Depression is finally on its way out, and everyone's ready to have some fun again. Michael, famously, is extremely fun, and he draws a vibrant crowd wherever he goes. The club's owners notice this, and they strike up a deal.

• 35:06Scaachi Koul?

  They'll reward his continued presence at the club by making sure he wins at the table. There's something really remarkable about Michael, which is that everyone knows he's a liar. He doesn't really have that much to offer. But he's so outrageous and famous for being famous and controversial that people just kind of want him around because he's a draw, which does make him a true OG influencer. Could you imagine if this guy had Instagram? Unstoppable. Unstoppable force of nature. And actually, it probably won't surprise you to learn that The Clover Club's owners are, in fact, gangsters. So Michael finally has a job that jives with his lifestyle. And he's mostly staying out of trouble.

• 35:49Scaachi Koul?

  He's stopped defaulting on loans and bouncing checks.

• 35:54Scaachi Koul?

  A few nights later, he's dining at the restaurant Chaz's. According to legend, Michael is there with a large, rowdy group of friends. They're ordering everything: drinks, steaks, caviar, more drinks. They're drunk and unruly, and the servers can't keep up with them. Fed up, one of Michael's friends turns to him and says, "Mike, you're gonna open your own joint." You know, like many influencers, opening up a restaurant or some kind of gimmicky business does make sense. Also, you know, it's proximity to him, and he is around famous people. I understand the draw. I would probably go to his restaurant, and I'd probably write about it or something. Yeah. I mean, maybe Michael's just trying to slow down.

• 36:38Scaachi Koul?

  You know, he is getting older, and even though he's living well now, he remembers what it was like to be broke and hungry all the time. In the past few years, he's basically become the 1930s version of an influencer. But that means he's still making a lot of money for other people. He realizes he's ready to take the next step and use his brand to get himself paid. Luckily, his lifestyle has put him in some very wealthy circles. So when he starts raising funds to open a restaurant, lots of rich guys offer to help: studio heads, heirs, and stars like Charlie Chaplin and James Cagney. Michael gives them shares of stock in his restaurant for $50 each. You know, it really says something about Michael when Charlie Chaplin knows you're a scammer and is like, "Sure, I'll invest in your restaurant."

• 37:23Scaachi Koul?

  Yeah, it's kind of amazing. Michael manages to pull together about $6,000, which would be closer to 140 grand today. Then, he convinces an investor friend to help him out with the rest. Still, he has to stick to a budget. So Michael decides to set up shop in a part of town that's still mostly vacant lots: Rodeo Drive. He convinces movie studios to help him out with wallpaper and decorations. Whatever bare wall is left, he covers with portraits of himself. On opening night, Michael is dressed in his best and surrounded by famous friends. He's thought of almost everything, except filling the cash box. Luckily, his pal Cary Grant is here to help.

• 38:04Scaachi Koul?

  Or, more specifically, Cary's butler, who runs to the house and returns with literal boxes of cash Michael can use to make change for his guests. Michael's transitioning from inveterate scammer to legitimate business owner. It's probably the riskiest, most reckless thing he's done yet. But after a lifetime of talking his way into the most exclusive places in the world, Michael is finally the one calling the shots. Here, in his own restaurant, reality is whatever Michael wants it to be. And people will pay for the privilege of spending time with the undisputed king of the L.A. social scene, as long as he can keep the party going.

• 38:47Speaker 05

  Hi, I'm Kenya Barris. And I'm Malcolm Gladwell. We're back for season two of our audible original podcast, The Unusual Suspects. We'll sit down with extraordinary guests from the worlds of art, film, literature, comedy, and wellness to hear from their unexpected stories of success. And who do we have this season? Well, we'll talk with Grammy-winning artist Anderson Paak, athlete Rich Roll, portrait artist Amy Sherald, Oscar-winning director Ron Howard, legendary writer David Sedaris, and many more. These conversations are more intimate than last season, wouldn't you say? I would. Listen to season one of The Unusual Suspects wherever you get your podcasts, and sign up for a free trial audible to listen to season two in the Audible app, or by subscribing to Apple Podcasts.

• 39:35Speaker 03

  Journalist Tristan Redman goes where no son-in-law should ever go. Deep into his wife's family history, digging up the cold case of who murdered her great-grandmother. Because, I should mention, he thinks the murderer might actually be the beloved family patriarch. For the best binge-watch series like Ghost Story, listen to the Audible True Crime Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

• 40:04Scaachi Koul?

  A few months into running his restaurant, Romanoff's, Michael has more success than he's ever dreamed of. The restaurant is packed with A-listers every night of the week. In fact, there are so many stars trying to eat at Romanoff's that Michael's biggest problem is where to put them all. The space has a large back room and a beautiful patio, but the real draw are the five booths at the front of the restaurant. They're in plain view of everyone who walks in, so they've become the place to see and be seen in Hollywood. And Michael decides who gets those coveted spots every night. Michael is very aware of his influence. He starts writing a gossip column called "Romanoff's Roundup" and includes it with the menu. Michael's at the restaurant almost every day, eating lunch with his English Bulldogs, Confucius, and Socrates.

• 40:50Scaachi Koul?

  Here, Sarah, take a look at this photo of Michael in his element.

• 40:55Scaachi Koul?

  This dog's really cute. Yeah, I mean, it's like a pretty funny photo of him with these other guys. They're all wearing suits at a table, and they're staring at this confused-looking dog who looks like he's gonna say something important. He does look like a Confucius. Well, Michael knows that a truly special spot has exclusivity and at least the appearance of elegance. So, Romanoff's requires that all men wear ties to dinner. And this rule applies to everyone, even men as powerful as Howard Hughes. When he tries to come to dinner bare-necked, Michael kicks him out. Humphrey Bogart also hates the tie rule. Michael is not willing to break the rules for Bogie, but he is one of Michael's best friends. So, Michael bends a little and says Bogie can substitute with a cravat.

• 41:40Scaachi Koul?

  That kind of pisses me off. Like, I understand he has rules for his restaurant because he's trying to make it fancy, but it's like, you got away with so much. You're not even really fancy. You literally are pretending to be a prince. So, let it go. Sorry, Howard Hughes. Wasn't wearing a tie. That's what you're gonna be a Stukler for? It might seem fake fancy, but having all of these celebrities packed into one spot makes Rodeo Drive the place to be. Other businesses start moving in so that Michael's wealthy clientele will stop by before or after their meals. So Romanoff's basically creates Rodeo Drive. Michael has finally achieved his life's dream, to perpetually be at the center of the best party in the world. He's made the unlikely transition

• 42:24Scaachi Koul?

  from fraud prince to kingmaker, and he's about to pull off something even rarer: managing to stay on top.

• 42:33Scaachi Koul?

  By 1950, Romanoff's has been the hottest restaurant in Hollywood for a decade. Michael is tired of renting, so he decides to move to a new location. And this time, he's buying. Now, the restaurant is reported to be raking in 25 grand a month. That's more than $300,000 today. But Michael isn't opposed to calling in favors, so he wires Alfred Vanderbilt, a friend from his earlier Hollywood days, to ask for $25,000. Alfred is in Hawaii when he gets the request, but he sends a check out on a plane the next morning. It comes with a note that says, "This is the least I can do for my emperor." What the hell? I mean, this is 1950 at this point.

• 43:16Scaachi Koul?

  You'd think by now, something would have run out. The well does not dry when it comes to Michael. They really like him. And luckily, at this point, Michael has someone helping him manage all this cash. A few years ago, he hired a woman named Gloria to do his bookkeeping. She's a brunette beauty with a sharp mind, and she runs a tight ship. She's also 34 years younger than Michael, but they fall in love anyway and get married in Las Vegas on the 4th of July in 1948. This time around, Michael can afford to do things his way. He works with an architect to design a space that's just as extra as he is. Marble steps lead up to the entrance, and inside, it's all booths. So every seat is the best seat in the house.

• 44:01Scaachi Koul?

  The new Romanoffs is just as big of a hit as the old one was. Famous diners include Jack Benny, Hetta Hopper, Sam Goldwyn, Cole Porter, and J. Edgar Hoover. It's a funny place for the founder of the FBI to be hanging out, given that there are often organized crime guys in the room. Hoover will sometimes find himself dining at the same time as regulars like Bugsy Siegel and Frank Sinatra. But at Romanoffs, everyone keeps the peace. Would you say that at the Romanoffs, when you're here, you're family, perhaps? Do you think that's something that they would say? I don't legally think I can say that, but I would like to say it. Well, those political connections help Michael in other ways, too. In the late '50s, Hoover helps facilitate an order of Congress

• 44:46Scaachi Koul?

  to declare Michael a legal citizen of the US. At this point, Michael is a husband, a citizen, and a bona fide success. The only question left is, how long can he keep these good times rolling?

• 45:02Scaachi Koul?

  It's January 1957, and for once, Michael isn't in the mood to be charming. He's standing in the back of the All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills. Next to him is a coffin that holds the body of one of his closest friends, Humphrey Bogart. Bogie had been a Romanoffs regular for years. Once the new location opened, he and his wife, Lauren McCall, ate lunch at the same table almost every day. They were regularly joined by famous friends, including Judy Garland, Swifty Lazar, and Frank Sinatra. A few years ago, Lauren gave their little group a name in one of Romanoffs' small, private rooms. She dubbed them "The Rat Pack." I had no idea how close he would be and how close he would remain to truly

• 45:46Scaachi Koul?

  some of the most famous Hollywood stars of all time. And it's almost like his myth-making became real, like it stopped mattering whether it was true or not, because he was so relentless, he made it real. Yeah, he really did. Bogie got sick with throat cancer last year. Michael would send him meals twice a day during his hospital stays, and the food must have lifted his spirits, but it couldn't cure him. And now, Michael is serving as a pallbearer at his friend's funeral. Once the service is done, everyone heads back to the Bogarts' home. Naturally, Romanoff's is catering the wake. After Bogie's death, everything changes. Sinatra becomes the unofficial head of the Rat Pack. He brings in new members, guys like Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.

• 46:31Scaachi Koul?

  This version of the Rat Pack doesn't hang out in L.A. as much as the original one did. Instead, they're always traveling to Vegas, Paris, London. And when they invite Michael to join them, he goes. But without Michael at the restaurant, celebrities stop coming. And then the crowd stopped coming to try to see the celebrities. So in the early '60s, after nearly 20 years as a bustling hotspot, business finally starts to slacken. Romanoff closes in 1962. Wow, it is still to me quite shocking that he was basically a member of the Rat Pack and was like traveling around with them and stuff. But also, this is so clear of what his truest and deepest motivation is,

• 47:13Scaachi Koul?

  which isn't to like have a successful restaurant or business or to be taking care of himself. It's like, how do I get near people who are famous? But it's like, believe in yourself. You are famous at this point. Well, Michael's time with Sinatra is more than just a distraction. After Romanoff's closes, Michael gets a job working for a studio. But his wife later tells Vanity Fair that, quote, "His real job was to keep Sinatra in line." In 1971, Michael is out shopping when he has a heart attack. He goes to the hospital, where he reportedly sends everyone out of the room except his wife. He tells her, "Not you, my darling." And then he dies. A cinematic ending to a cinematic life.

• 47:57Scaachi Koul?

  So Sarah, did this one make you mad? You know, once I let go of it making me mad, I was along for the ride because I was waiting for him to turn his scam on innocent people, like create a Ponzi scheme. But truly, his scam was trying to be famous no matter what. And yeah, he owed people some money, but like he wasn't involved in anything crazy elaborate. He literally just made himself as famous as he could through a really insane lie. It is crazy to me also, just the timeline of it. Because if you're thinking of the Romanoffs, in my mind, it feels so ancient, an ancient dynasty.

• 48:41Scaachi Koul?

  And then by the end of it, Frank Sinatra's involved. Like, you know, it's so crazy how he was able to span this for so many decades and not really change the heart of his story also. It's just an incredibly frustrating story about people realizing someone is a fraud. Everybody is saying the emperor doesn't have any clothes and all these people are like, "Cool, I like him naked." Like, nobody has a problem with the fact that he's full of shit. They're like tickled by it. It's such an insane case because so many people are able to maintain being close to famous people, but it kind of falls apart because they either demand too much or their bad personality gets in the way. But I feel like he was able to maintain this balance.

• 49:24Scaachi Koul?

  Every part of the story, I was like, "Oh, this is when it's gonna totally fall apart." And then it doesn't, you know? It's like, is he maybe the perfect scammer? Yeah, this one hits like a lot of the scam influencers bingo. Like, he's an orphan, he runs away a lot. He is like one of the first influencers, kind of, because he's created all this cachet and people are obsessed with him. Yes, it really, really does. It's really moving in this odd way. It's like, it's pretty victimless, ultimately. Yeah. Why do you think rich people love being scammed? Um, I think they don't love being scammed. I think it's just, in some ways, easy to scam people who are really affluent or famous or around the same kind of person all the time. Because I think we've said this before,

• 50:09Scaachi Koul?

  but all famous people want is to feel normal or like that they can kick it with a different type of person. I think it feeds into an insecurity they have. I think he was very successful because he was able to be kept around because he was fun. And also clearly savvy in some way where he was able to help establish Rodeo Drive as like a rich person destination. And it remains so till this day. Do you feel like you learned any lessons? I feel like today was a great informative package on how to persevere when people point out that you're Full of shit. Yeah, I think it's just like never back down. I think he doubled down at every turn. And again, made some stupid moves that ultimately were fine,

• 50:53Scaachi Koul?

  but didn't escalate the scam into being something bigger than it was. He got what he wanted. He found a way to get to the next level of that. And he died happy. God, we got played. He really figured it out. He figured it out. And tell me right now, who has figured it out since? Not me. He's basically Kim Kardashian before Kim Kardashian. I know, and I think he got less grief than even her. Yes. Shout out Prince Michael. Good for you, man. Perfect scam. 10 out of 10.

• 51:23Scaachi Koul?

  Follow Scamfluencers on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of Scamfluencers ad-free by joining Audible.

• 51:33Scaachi Koul?

  This is Michael Romanoff, the High Prince of Hollywood.

• 51:37Speaker 01

  I'm Sachi Cole.

• 51:38Scaachi Koul?

  And I'm Sarah Haggy. If you have a tip for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email us at [email protected]. We use many sources in our research. A few that were particularly helpful were The Education of a Prince by Alva Johnston for The New Yorker and Romanoff, Prince of the Rogues by Jane Pisa. Zan Romanoff wrote this episode. Additional writing by us, Sachi Cole and Sarah Haggy. Eric Thurm is our story editor. Fact checking by Meredith Clark. Sound design by James Morkin. Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velazquez for Frieze on Sing. Our managing producer is Desi Blaylock. Our senior managing producer is Callum Pluse. Janine Cornolo and Stephanie Jens are our development producers. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller.

• 52:23Scaachi Koul?

  Our producer is Julie McGruder. Our senior producers are Sarah Enni and Ginny Bloom. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marshall Louis and Erin O'Flaherty. For Wondery.

• 52:42Speaker 01

  I'm Gemma Whelan. And in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, The Spy Who Was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War I secret agent, accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans. But was she a temptress or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari early and ad-free on Audible.