The Kidnapping of Graeme Thorne

In 1960, Australian man Basil Thorne won the lottery worth nearly 3 million Australian dollars (in 2021 value), and his photograph appeared in newspapers nationwide. Days later, Stephen Bradley, who had learned of the family's wealth from those reports, kidnapped his 8-year-old son, Graeme Thorne, for ransom. The later discovery of Graeme's murder led to Bradley's conviction for the crime. The tragedy led to new privacy laws ensuring lottery winners in Australia could remain anonymous.

Previous Fact Next Fact