In January 1981 the flashy promoter known as Harold Smith had the world on a string. Women, drugs, yachts, and racehorses were his toys. Muhammad Ali, Tony Orlando, and other stars were his cronies. He was set to pull off his biggest deal ever and on the verge of controlling an entire sport. A short time later, his empire had collapsed and headlines across the country screamed about a $21 million scandal.

Empire of Deceit is the true story of this lavish sports and entertainment kingdom, the high-rolling lifestyle of the people who ran it, and the staggering secret crime on which it was based. Through the eyes of those caught up in the scheme and those who brought them to justice, this riveting tale exposes the lies and manipulation that toppled officials of one of the nation's largest banks and spawned the biggest computerized bank embezzlement up to that time. It is a story of adventure, crime, suspense, and courtroom drama. But above all, it is a story of people -- of men trapped by greed and misguided altruism, of a dedicated secretary whose loyalty blinded her to the shocking truth, of an actress-turned-defense lawyer caught in the act of counseling perjury, and of a master promoter who was one of the greatest swindlers of all time.