This is a con for one artist, two shills and as many marks as you can get your filthy hands on.

1. First, become Pestilence incarnate. Next, have your shills pose as explorers and compete for the favor of a moneyed patron (not the mark!). He or she will feel compelled to fund one or the other, on the promise of enormous return on investment.
2. The chosen shill will “discover” a populated area. These are the marks! Unleash yourself! The area will become nonpopulated. Return the patron’s investment, which is paltry compared to the natural resources now at your command.
3. Profit!