In the late-20th century, promotional land development schemes were scamming investors out of millions. Albert Johnson tells how he and his family got involved with one such scheme at Lake Riverside Estates, California. From his adventures at Lake Riverside's horse riding stable, to a struggle with alcohol by his ex-jockey stepfather, Johnson shares his most bizarre, yet most fun, year of childhood. He also follows the career of Robert J. Beaumont, the mastermind of Lake Riverside Estates and many other land scams. He exposes Beaumont's methods, and details his rise, fall, and resurrection as a real estate rip-off artist. This tale of humor and tragedy unveils a scarcely documented and forgotten era from the American West—our dirty history of promotional land scams. These scams may soon make a comeback. But learning from history can help investors avoid the mistakes that cost so many their fortunes a half-century ago.