The Kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III

15 snips

Oct 20, 2025

The podcast delves into the harrowing kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III by an Italian crime syndicate. It explores Getty Sr.'s frugal character and his refusal to pay the ransom, leading to a brutal escalation, including the shocking mailing of his grandson's ear. The family dynamics and estrangement complicate the situation as they struggle to secure Getty III's release. After his return, the indifference of his wealthy grandfather and the lasting trauma shape Getty III's later life, illustrating the heavy toll of wealth and family legacy.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Childhood Shaped A Cold Tycoon

J. Paul Getty Sr.'s frugal, emotionally distant upbringing shaped his lifelong selfishness and detachment from family.
That upbringing explains his extreme refusal to help his kidnapped grandson despite vast wealth.

INSIGHT

Why He Was A Target

The kidnappers targeted Getty III because his family looked wealthy and publicly disconnected, making ransom seem likely.
They misjudged the family's internal dysfunction and assumed payment would be straightforward.

ANECDOTE

Street Abduction of A Teen Grandson

On July 10, 1973, 16-year-old J. Paul Getty III was grabbed off a Roman street and forced into a car by men who identified him.
The abduction targeted his public visibility as the grandson of the world's richest man.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Throughout the twentieth century, few names loomed as large in the business and financial worlds as John Paul Getty. Once the richest man in the world, Getty made his fortune in the oil industry and an avid art collector, with a massive collection that served as a basis for the Getty Museum, the wealthiest museum in the world.

Getty’s wealth and business acumen made him a household name well beyond his death in 1976; however, that same wealth and notoriety made him a target for con artists and other criminals. Among those who sought to extort the Getty family, no attempt was more incredible and sensational than the kidnapping of Getty’s favorite grandchild, J. Paul Getty III, by an Italian crime syndicate in 1973.

At first, the scion of the Getty family refused to negotiate with kidnappers, arguing that, if he paid the money, they would only kidnap other members of this family. But Getty reconsidered his position just a few weeks later, when his grandson’s ear arrived in the mail, with the promise of other body parts, should he not comply with their demands.

References

Associated Press. 1973. "Getty kidnapers spurn offer of $430,000 ransom as 'paltry'." Buffalo Nerws (Buffalo, NY), August 3: 2.

—. 1973. "Getty's mother awaits word from kidnapers on ransom." Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY), July 18: 3.

—. 1973. "Grandson of Getty missing." Los Angeles Times, July 13: 9.

—. 1974. "Italy arrests 3, seeks 4th in Getty kidnapping ." New York Times, Janaury 17: 14.

Miller, Julie. 2017. "What All the Money in the World gets right (and wrong) about the Getty kidnapping." Vanity Fair, December 25.

New York Times. 1976. "2 Getty kidnappers sentenced in Italy." New York Times, January 30: 10.

—. 1973. "Roman police report a threat to sever a finger of Getty boy." New York Times, July 20: 2.

Norman, Judith. 2013. "His favorite wife: A memoir looks back on the life of the fifth and final Mrs. Getty." New York Times, September 1: 10.

Pearson, John. 1995. Painfully Rich: J. Paul Getty and His Heirs. London, UK: Macmillan.

Reuters. 1973. "Ransom is offered for Paul Getty, 17, his father reports." New York Times, November 18: 8.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.