How the FBI Finally Solved The Great Wine Scam

The FBI has finally solved the great wine scam, which was made famous by the documentary "Sour Grapes" on Netflix. This is the true story of how Rudi Kurniawan was finally caught.

Did you know that billions of dollars circulate the wine industry every year? Some bottles can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars! Whenever that much money is involved, people will always be lurking in the shadows, trying to cheat the system.

Rudy Kurniawan was a wine enthusiast. He was the toast of the town among high-end dealers and collectors. However, he was also a criminal, and the mastermind behind the largest underground wine operation in history.

But how exactly did he “scam” wine? How big did his shady system grow? And what was the clue that allowed the FBI to pounce and finally close a decade-long case?

[Therichest]

Have you ever bought a fake bottle of wine?

[bkatbamna]

The fact that this guy could blend different cheap wines and make them taste like expensive wines should shame those snobbish wine "experts".

[enoordman]

You forget a very important fact in the story. Rudi Kurniawan had a very special gift that he managed to mix wine in such a way that they came very close to the original. His nose and knowledge was also very advanced and as a result he quickly gained prestige in the wine world. Can laugh a bit that he took the grape boys like that. To this day, wine cellars are still full of his special creations.

[lynx]

He made 550million and only had to pay 40 million and 10 years shit I’ll take that trade

[Leafbinder]

lets see 10 years at a profit of 550 mill minus the 53 mill in restitution 497 mill for 10 years hmmm Crime does pay... about 49mill a year it seems

[iplaylax]

The idea that you can put anything in the bottle is ridiculous. He was very talented at blending flavors to pass as the wines portrayed in the bottles.

[wallysmith]

i love the pronunciations. you got the word “wine” correct

[jorgenvandeburgt]

Really liked how you murdered all the French words.

[johncarder]

The word is "prosecute", not "persecute".

[lr]

8:06 explains it best: he was a scammer, but so were all the other "critics", "connoisseurs", and "experts". He was repeatedly caught, but wasn't persecuted because it would have outed the others as fakes.

[Sirvival]

Damn if one of the wine producers does a collab with him to create a "Rudy Blend" I would def buy it.

[Expat]

The guy makes $558M, then has to give only $28M to the suckers, $20M to the Feds, got 10 years free food and lodging and got to keep the rest???? Yup, that's justice.

[solath]

It makes my heart sing knowing Koch got scammed. Rudi should have been given a medal for that.

[jakeeldrup]

moral of the story. dont drink overpriced wine

[apocalypticbean]

Rudy is a genius. At least he didn't scam poor people

Edit: Poor people also got scammed by him

[goon]

Random Facts: The oldest “your mom” joke was discovered on a 3, 500 year old Babylonian tablet.

[johndough]

The FBI arrests Rudy.
Rudy: [crying]
*FBI Agent: "Do you have a bottle for that wine?"*

[Nose_kandy]

A 1998 vintage of MD 20/20 in raspberry blue is my most prized possession.

[seanbailey]

Wait so he made 550million and only paid back 44 million? So he's still rich AF?.

[rahulfeelingrhythm]

The most expensive bottle of wine that i ever bought was around USD 35. 😂

I hope it was authentic, as it was from a local vineyard.