George Remus

George Remus (November 14, 1874 – January 20, 1952) was a Cincinnati, Ohio based lawyer and bootlegger during the Prohibition era in the United States. He was known as the "King of the Bootleggers" and had a reputation for living a lavish lifestyle.

Early Life

Remus was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States with his family at a young age. He grew up in poverty in Chicago, and began working at a pharmacy at the age of 14. He eventually bought the pharmacy and expanded it into a small chain. He then studied law and became a defense attorney.

Career

Remus moved to Cincinnati in 1920 and began buying distilleries and pharmacies to take advantage of the medicinal alcohol business during Prohibition. He created the George Remus Distilling Company and used his legal knowledge to exploit loopholes in the Volstead Act, which enabled him to legally produce alcohol for medicinal purposes but then illegally sell it for non-medicinal use.

Downfall and Later Life

Remus's empire came crashing down when he was arrested for thousands of violations of the Volstead Act in 1925. He was convicted and sentenced to two years in federal prison. While in prison, he learned that his wife, Imogene Remus, was having an affair with a FBI agent and had sold off his assets. After his release, Remus shot and killed Imogene in a fit of rage. He was acquitted of the murder charge by reason of insanity and spent several years in a mental institution. He died in 1952.

Legacy

Remus's life has been the subject of several books and films. He is often cited as the inspiration for the character of Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby.