In the news, not the news department, Donald Trump’s recently released taxes reveal what we knew all along. His boasts of being a multi-billionaire were totally bogus. The only great wealth creation this failed businessman has created is in his imagination. His only success is getting as many to believe his image as a successful entrepreneur for as long as he did.

And he learned from a master, a man named Sid Rosen. Likely a name you are unfamiliar with, Sid was the guru of the grift, and a young Donald Trump got his Masters of B.S. from this scam artist.

Vintage ad 1975

Along with the cache of classified documents, nuclear secrets, and old press clippings uncovered by the FBI in Trump’s storage rooms at Mar A Lago is a revealing piece of paper that is getting scant attention.

Easy to overlook, in the jumble of documents this brittle, yellowing advertisement clipped from a 1975 magazine called Specialty Salesman,  just might be the clue to Trump’s uncanny skills as a con man.

I Can Make You Appear To Be A Millionaire

The headline of this ad just screams Trump, a man who has based his entire brand on appearances and illusions. You can see the appeal to a 29-year-old Trump who had yet to inherit his daddy’s 400 million.

“I will teach you how to get smart and live great! I’ve done it and I’ve enjoyed new cars, luxurious homes, fat bank accounts, the best foods, wine, women, and best of all, lots and lots of money. I will now sell you my secrets and I will teach you how to:

Get VIP treatment wherever you go

Attract glamorous women

Gain political power in your area

Borrow away your debts

“My name is Sid Rosen, I’ve been a wheeler-dealer all my life and I’ve been involved in hundreds of successful businesses. Let me tell you what I can do for you.”

Sid made it clear he had perfected the art of the spiel years before Trump ever published his book or appeared on the Apprentice.

In fact, channeling Sid, Trump opened each show by saying:  “I’ve mastered the art of the deal…And as the master, I want to pass my knowledge along to somebody.”

I’m Like Really Really Smart

“I will make you appear to be a millionaire…in just four weeks!” Rosen promised.”  I will teach you how to GET SMART AND LIVE GREAT! I will teach you to open previously locked doors create unlimited opportunities and place yourself upon the glittering path to financial prosperity and success.

I will help you to acquire and enjoy all the marvelous things in life you’ve always dreamed of having but felt you would never get- like a luxury cruise around the world, a color TV in every room, expensive cars, luxurious homes, beautiful clothes, gourmet foods, cameras, gadgets you name it.

I will show you how to get it!

Art of The Con

“I have learned that it is possible to create the “illusion” of great, great personal wealth quite easily in today’s credit-oriented economy. Notice now, that I  have used the term “illusion” …for that is exactly what our entire capitalistic society is based upon.

“People, including you, and I believe what they see.

We presume a person to be wealthy when seeing his expensive home, high priced cars. Well tailored clothes and luxurious lifestyles.

Bearing this out, years later Tony Schwartz the ghostwriter who wrote Art Of The Deal said “There is nothing more important to Trump than being seen as very very rich which is why he’s expended so much effort in trying to claim a networth far beyond what he actually was worth.

The Illusion of Having Money

“Everything and I mean everything you need to know is in my manual which will be sent to you in a plain envelope. The price is $10.” A decade before Art of the Deal  “Smart Money Plans” the Money Making Strategy Planning book covers all aspects of creating wealth and eliminating debt.   Published Fact Research 1975

Sid goes on to promise:

“You’ve probably heard the saying It takes money to make money.”

“The truth I will tell you is that in today’s economy, it only takes “THE ILLUSION OF HAVING MONEY “…to make money and it only takes “THE ILLUSION OF HAVING MONEY” to borrow money.”

“Remember this, in today’s financial marketplace, most money transactions are merely bookkeeping entries and nothing usually changes hands but scraps of paper. This is one of the secrets I will reveal to you in great detail!”

Not too many people know this…

“I’ll tell you this…I call many of my plans “secrets” because I don’t think more than one person in a thousand knows any two of them.

“I will teach you to look the part and to wear the hat of a millionaire.”

With a buxom model on his arm and a garish home decked out in 24-karat gold Trump always looked the part and he did it by happily creating the most vivid pop culture cartoon of wealth outside a comic book.

Or a scammy ad from 1975.