When I was a [fake] billionaire (VICE)

Andi Schmidt, VICE; Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Ashley Wells (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

What I saw as a fake billionaire | Fakes, frauds, and scammers

(VICE) May 9, 2022. Andi Schmied pretended to be a billionaire to infiltrate New York City’s most exclusive and expensive [high rise apartment] homes, which only cater to the unbelievably wealthy and privileged. Touring homes that cost up to $85 million, she wanted to see and photograph how the 1% of the 1% lives in one of the most iconic and expensive megalopolis cities in the world. To do so, she had to transform herself from an artist into a convincing billionaire almost overnight. But while snapping 25 penthouses she discovered a world of high rise apartments sitting empty in a city facing a severe housing crisis.

Check out the VICE World News playlist for global reporting not found elsewhere: youtube.com/playlist...

Watch more like this:

• How I Stole $2.8 million as a Teenager
• How We Staged a UFO Hoax [so people will disbelieve in them]
• My Wife Hired a Hitman So I Faked My Death

Click here to subscribe to VICE: bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE

ABOUT: VICE claims to be the Definitive Guide to Enlightening Information. From every corner of the planet, its immersive, caustic, ground-breaking, and often bizarre stories have changed the way people think about culture, crime, art, parties, fashion, protest, the internet, and other subjects that don't even have names yet. Browse the growing library and discover corners of the world never known to have existed. Welcome to VICE.

• Man claims winning $2 billion Powerball ticket sold in Altadena, California was stolen, sues jackpot winner (ktla.com)