In the vast expanse of global business history, certain enigmas have stood the test of time, provoking curiosity and conjecture among professionals and the public alike.
From vanished tycoons and untraceable fortunes to corporate collapses shrouded in secrecy, these ten great unsolved mysteries of the business world remain as perplexing as they are fascinating.
Here, we delve into these unresolved riddles that continue to puzzle experts and captivate the imagination of all who hear them.
D.B. Cooper Disappears Without A Trace After Hijack
In 1971, a man calling himself D.B Cooper carried out a hijack on a Northwest Airlines Flight travelling from Portland to Seattle.
He demanded $200,000 and four parachutes.
Once this was agreed, he parachuted out the plane over the dense Pacific Northwest Forest.
Despite instantly becoming a massively wanted man, extensive searches of the area and an investigation by the FBI, neither Cooper or the majority of the money have ever been recovered.
The only evidence ever found was a rotting bundle of $20 bills found nine years later in 1980.
Cooper's true identity has never been established.
It's also curious why a man operating on his own needed four parachutes.
Jim Thompson Vanishes
Jim Thompson was a big name in the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1967, he took a vacation to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.
He decided to go for a walk and subsequently disappeared without trace.
A search lasted for weeks and involved hundreds of people.
No trace of him has ever been found, and his vanishing remains one of Southeast Asia's greatest mysteries.
The Collapse Of Enron
The collapse of Enron is not a mystery as such, it was widely publicized that the company was using complex accounting loopholes and fraud to hide billions in debt from failed deals and projects.
However, the full extent of its internal operations and who knew what remains partially shrouded in mystery, making it one of the most infamous scandals in business history.
The Max Headroom Broadcast Signal Intrusion
Max Headroom was an animated TV reporter of the 1980s, seen as the first "computer generated" character.
In November 1987, two Chicago television stations had their broadcasts hijacked by an unknown person wearing a Max Headroom mask.
The first happened during the evening news on WGN-TV and the second during a broadcast of Doctor Who on WTTW.
It was short, lasting for 17 seconds before engineers took back control of the signalling tower.
The second was longer, with the attacker having targeted an unmanned signal.
It meant they were able to broadcast for around 90 seconds.
The attacker starts by saying, “That does it. He’s a frickin’ nerd” before laughing. Then, the hijacker continues, “Yeah, I think I’m better than Chuck Swirsky. Frickin’ liberal. Oh, Jesus.”
Chuck Swirksy was one of WGN's announcers.
The intruder's motive and identity were never discovered, despite investigations by the FCC and the FBI.
The Missing Bitcoin Millions
Gerald Cotten, the CEO of QuadrigaCX, died suddenly in 2018 while traveling in India.
It was later revealed that he alone had the passwords to digital wallets containing over $190 million worth of customers’ Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Investigations raised questions about potential fraud, as forensic experts suggested some of the wallets had been emptied months before Cotten’s death.
In September 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after taking Tylenol capsules that had been poisoned with cyanide.
This led to nationwide panic and the swift reformation of consumer product safety standards, including the introduction of tamper-proof packaging.
Despite extensive investigations, no one was ever charged for the poisonings and the case remains unsolved.
The Vanishing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board
Despite being one of the most expensive search operations in aviation history, no definitive traces of the aircraft or its passengers have been found after it vanished from radar.
The lack of concrete evidence has fueled many theories, ranging from hijacking to an intentional act by the pilot.
Nikola Tesla’s Missing Files
When inventor Nikola Tesla died in 1943 in New York, his papers and research were temporarily impounded by the Office of Alien Property Custodian.
Most of his belongings were eventually released to his family.
There remains speculation over missing files that purportedly contained plans for advanced technology and inventions that could have been revolutionary.
The true extent and content of these missing files remain a source of enduring speculation and mystery.
The Amber Room
Constructed in the 18th century and gifted to Russia, the Amber Room was a masterpiece of baroque art made entirely of amber, gold, and precious stones.
During World War II, it was looted by the Nazis and taken to Königsberg Castle in Germany.
The room’s fate after the war is unknown, and despite numerous searches and investigations, it has never been recovered.
It is possibly it was destroyed during bombing raids.
The Secret Coca-Cola Formula
The original formula for Coca-Cola, created in 1886 by Dr. John S. Pemberton, is reputed to be one of the most closely guarded trade secrets in the corporate world.
Housed in a high-security vault within the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, it is rumored that only a few executives know the complete formula.
It’s said that the ingredient list has never been fully disclosed to the public.
