Chapter 569: Fighting Fraud with Fraud
Joseph clenched his fists, frustration evident.
"These foolish people!"
Archbishop Beaumont, now visibly uncomfortable, was trying his best to maintain decorum—after all, the crown prince was raising his voice in the middle of a sacred service! In an effort to drown out this unholy outburst, he raised his voice, loudly reciting scripture.
Meanwhile, Mirabeau looked despondent.
"Your Highness, this report provides no concrete evidence. Viscount Calonne's assessment is speculative at best.
"It will be nearly impossible to convince factory owners of the potential risks when they're eager to make a fortune.
"Moreover, given the procedural rigor of these transactions and the legitimacy of the orders, it's exceedingly difficult to determine which ones are fraudulent and which are genuine.
"By forcing production cuts, we risk harming legitimate orders, which could damage trust in French manufacturing."
Joseph froze. He hadn't considered this nuance—there was no way to cleanly separate fake orders from real ones. Taking drastic action could jeopardize France's industrial boom, even if just one in ten orders were authentic.
However, allowing things to proceed unchecked risked catastrophic consequences.
This was a perfect open scheme.
Whoever devised it, Joseph had to admit, was both intelligent and ruthless.
How could he counteract the fake orders without harming legitimate ones?
Behind him, Mirabeau listened as Archbishop Beaumont's voice strained to fill the cathedral. He crossed himself and muttered,
"Almighty God, grant France deliverance from this crisis."
Then, shaking his head with a sigh, he added,
"Unless these fraudsters retract the orders themselves, there's nothing we can do…"
Joseph's mind, racing for a solution, suddenly lit up at Mirabeau's grumbling.
Of course! If the fraudsters themselves canceled the orders, the problem would solve itself.
But how could they be forced to back out?
The fraudsters had covered their tracks well—real companies, legitimate credentials, proper contracts, even deposit payments. The only falsehood was the missing balance payment.
To turn the tide, Joseph needed to strike directly at that weak point.
The service quieted as communion began, and the stillness allowed Joseph's mind to work at full speed. A few moments later, a sly smile crossed his face.
If they were using deception on this scale, then he would respond in kind.
Joseph hurriedly took communion, made a quick sign of the cross, and whispered to Mirabeau,
"After the service, I need you to identify all foreign orders over 50,000 francs. Then instruct factory owners to do this... and this..."
Mirabeau's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Your Highness, while this could work, what if the factory owners refuse to cooperate for fear of harming their reputations?"
"No matter," Joseph replied. "If even one in ten factories follows through, the rest will quickly understand the situation."
Mirabeau bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. I'll begin immediately after the service."
Joseph paused, then asked,
"Didn't you mention that most deposits for these orders have already been received?"
"Yes, Your Highness. If this is a scheme, it's meant to lure the factories deeper in."
Joseph nodded. "We've already manufactured goods worth far more than the deposits. We need to recoup as much as possible."
"What do you propose?"
Joseph gestured toward Fouché, seated farther back. The spymaster took advantage of Beaumont's distraction to slip closer.
"Your Highness?"
"That swindler… what was his name again?"
"Mesmer, Your Highness."
"Ah, yes. I recall Calonne's report mentioned he's now a prominent figure in Vienna's business circles?"
"That's correct, Your Highness."
"Good. Instruct him to do this... and recruit a few cooperative factory owners for a trip to Vienna."
"As you command, Your Highness." Fouché jotted notes quickly.
Joseph added,
"Also, investigate this Kleistiel character thoroughly. He may be the key to the entire scheme."
Ten Days Later
Vienna
In the manager's office of Manharts Trading Company, Baron Graz stared in disbelief at a letter his trade manager had delivered.
"How is this possible? Are you certain?"
"Yes, Baron," the trade manager affirmed. "This letter was personally delivered by the assistant manager of the Grigor Brothers Steel Company. I met him during contract negotiations."
"But... this..." Graz frowned at the notice. "They've produced over 720,000 florins' worth of goods in less than three months?"
720,000 florins—equivalent to 1.8 million francs—was enough to form a literal mountain of steel products.
That morning, the Grigor Brothers Steel Company informed Graz that his entire order was ready for delivery.
Panic seized him. According to Kleistiel's instructions, he was supposed to maintain appearances in Vienna until October, ensuring French factories had irreversibly committed resources. Only then could he withdraw.
But it was mid-May, and Grigor Brothers was demanding payment. What could he do?
While he had already arranged an escape route to America, leaving Vienna prematurely would risk exposing the fraudulent orders.
In total, Graz's six shell companies and affiliated trade networks had placed eleven orders with French factories, amounting to 350,000 florins (870,000 francs). If he fled now, the scheme would collapse.
Worse, Kleistiel would certainly punish him for abandoning the operation before it had achieved even a fraction of its intended impact.
But staying posed an equally daunting challenge: where could he find the money to settle the steel company's balance?
The trade manager hesitantly interrupted,
"Baron, according to the contract, we must pay half the balance—360,000 florins—by the end of the month, with the remainder due in July..."
"I KNOW!" Graz bellowed. "Leave me!"
Frustration boiled over. To encourage aggressive investment, he had foolishly included a clause offering a 3% bonus for early delivery.
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