A Dutchman has been charged with fraud after "making a small fortune" selling plots of land on the moon.
Rene Veenema is being prosecuted after complaints from clients who said they paid for, but never received, ownership certificates for their parcels of land in space.
The Telegraaf newspaper reports Veenema, who goes on trial next month, said he made thousands of people happy before his business turned sour.
He claims he sold plots for around £1,000 each through the US-based firm Lunar Embassy.
The American company claims that since 1996, it has sold plots to former US presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter as well as entertainers Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon and David Letterman.
Since then, the moon has sold well in Europe - last year the lots were a popular Valentine's Day gift in Romania - even though few if any buyers can ever hope to set foot on their property.
The paper said Veenema was jailed several weeks ago and that prosecutors are seeking damages in a suit brought by five disappointed investors.
"Like most things I start up, the moon project had a promising start. But when the rush failed to materialise - I had expected tens of thousands of orders per month - I ordered a car, a house, you name it," he was quoted as saying.
"In fact, I have been pulling this off for more than 10 years," Veenema told the newspaper. "My employers, my colleagues, my ex-girlfriend, I conned them all."
When he gets out of jail, Veenema said he intends to repay all those he swindled and "learn to stop lying and cheating."
