At the turn of the 20th century, Italian immigration to America was starting to peak. After Italy united with Rome as its capital in 1871, economic, political and societal changes caused upheaval throughout the peninsula and masses of Italian citizens traveled west, each seeking an opportunity for a better life.

In 1903, Carlo Ponzi was a passenger on the Dominion Line SS Vancouver, sailing from Naples to the Azores and then to Boston. Born in Lugo (region of Emilia-Romagna) in 1882 into an affluent family who had lost most of their wealth, Ponzi attended the Sapienza University of Rome.