Page 74 - All About History - Issue 12-14

Frank Abagnale’s story was adapted
into the film Catch Me If You Can,
starring Leonardo DiCaprio

Whether duping others for money, a crown, prestige

or simply for an adrenaline ride, meet the impostors

that have made their own specific mark on history
Written by David Crookes

he trajectory of people’s lives can heritage. There are men who have acted
take them to places they would on greed; women who have been well-
never have dreamed possible. served and pampered because of their
For most, it’s about hard work, imaginary tales. Their lies have led them
T building up a reputation and to situations that threatened to get out
maintaining it, but others take a of control. A few have even appeared to
different path; for them it’s about believe their own stories and some have
concocting a story that puts them become the subject of Hollywood films.
into a position they would otherwise What they have also done is alter the
never have held. It’s a short cut to course of history in some way. We’ll
success, to infamy or, in some cases, look at how Ferdinand Demara saved
both. Throughout history, there have 13 lives; how Frank Abagnale was able to
been people whose face value has been use his experience of fraud to help the US
at odds with who they really are. By government tackle the problem of scam
telling spectacular lies, they have been artists; how Anna Anderson and Lambert
able to fool others into believing they Simnel tried to change the future direction
are higher in social standing than their of Russia and England. The impostor Grigory
background and qualifications would, on Otrepyev succeeded in doing this in Russia.
closer inspection, prove them to be. In By playing on trust, they have sought to
becoming someone else, in pretending to change the order of their own or the wider
be something they are not, they can garner world. They also threaten to make life more
sympathy and attention. They can also pull difficult for historians. If Lambert Simnel had
of some spectacular crimes. not been unmasked as an imposter, it would have
Meet the ten greatest impostors: the pretenders muddied the waters over the identity of the real
who have created the biggest stir in the most Earl of Warwick. Let us guide you through those
audacious of manners. The people presented impostors that though cunning, audacity and
here make up only a very small percentage of outright gall have pretended to be someone else
fakers, but all have a captivating story to tell. They for financial reward, to rule a country or to alter Frank Abagnale posed as
include fraudsters who have claimed to have royal the course of history itself. a pilot, doctor and lawyer
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