Ferdinand Ward | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1851 Geneseo, New York, U.S. |
| Died | 1925 (aged 73–74) New York City, U.S. |
| Resting place | Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Swindler |
| Known for | Orchestrating a large-scale Ponzi Scheme |
| Spouses | Ella Champion Ward
(m. 1877; d. 1890)Isabella Ward (m. 1894) |
| Children | 1 |
Ferdinand De Wilton Ward, Jr. (1851–1925), known first as the "Young Napoleon of Finance,"[1] and subsequently as "the Best-Hated Man in the United States," was an American swindler. The collapse of his Ponzi scheme caused the financial ruin of many people, including famous persons such as Thomas Nast and the former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, who had joined his son, Ulysses S. "Buck" Grant. Jr., as a partner in Ward's banking business. Heavy losses were incurred by many other members of the extended Grant family.
- ^ "Son's Gems Claimed By Ferdinand Ward" (PDF). New York Times. April 6, 1909.