Legend has it that a gem merchant stole the 115-carat diamond from a Hindu statue and, upon its disappearance, priests put a curse on whoever was in possession of the diamond. There is a pretty long list of people associated with the gem who have met tragic ends. Many who have guarded, owned, or worn the diamond have met gruesome ends. Some of these deaths include being torn to pieces by wild dogs, driving off a cliff, and being torn apart by a French mob.