It's November 28, 1921, in the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Alone in the elevator, 28-year-old Edward Ned Doakini presses the button for the top floor.

He watches the dials slowly rise, his hands gripping the handle of a heavy black leather satchel. When the

elevator doors open, Ned steps into a quiet hallway. He looks up and down. There's no one around,

and the room he's looking for is only a few doors away, but the walk still feels longer than it should.

He knocks and waits, nervously checking the hallway again.

When the door swings open, Ned quickly hurries inside.

He nods a greeting at Albert Fall, the 60-year-old secretary of the interior.

Ned is no stranger to powerful men like Secretary Fall. As the son of a wealthy oil

tycoon, he's moved in influential circles his entire life. He's used to attending meetings and

social functions on behalf of his father, but this is no routine appointment. Ned carefully

empties the satchel onto the bed. Five thick rolls of cash fall onto the mattress.

Secretary Fall picks one up and weighs it in his hand.

He starts to peel back the bills,

but Ned assures him that it's all there, $100,000 as promised.

Ned swallows.

He wants to get out of here as soon as possible,

but there's one last thing he needs.

After a long pause, Secretary Fall gives a curt nod. He moves to a desk, pulls out a sheet of paper, and writes a kind of IOU.

Then he hands it to Ned, telling him to deliver it to his father. The Dohenies have kept their side of the deal.

Now it's Secretary Falls turn to deliver it to his father. The Dohenies have kept their side of the deal. Now, its Secretary Falls turned to deliver.

Although Albert Fall pretends this vast sum of money is a loan, in fact, it is a bribe.

...