J. Paul Getty: The Real Story Behind The Man With All The Money In The World

Getty Refused To Pay The Ransom As Paul III Lost An Ear

Vittoriano Rastelli/Corbis via Getty Images

Upon the initial refusal, the kidnappers decided to cut the Paul III’s ear off, mailing it off with a lock of hair, but an Italian postal strike delayed its delivery. An attached ransom note allegedly said, “This is Paul’s ear. If we don’t get some money within 10 days, then the other ear will arrive. In other words, he will arrive in little bits.” Months had passed by the time a newspaper office received the note, which then demanded only $3.2 million. The eldest Getty rebuffed pleas from Paul III’s mother to take action, while Paul III’s father didn’t have enough of his own money to help.