Top 10: Greatest Con Artists of All Time
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Conmen hold a special place in our hearts. Their fast talking, smooth walking ways lead us all to gawk at their special brand of bravery. The individuals on our list are some of the most successful flim-flam artists of all time. For those about to con; we salute you.
10. David Hampton
His con life was the inspiration for the movie “Six Degrees of Separation”. David Hampton rose to fame when he claimed to be the son of Sidney Poitier. As David Poitier many doors opened for him and he made a living off other peoples’ lives.
9. Frank Abagnale
Another inspiration for the film adaptation of his own life was Frank Abagnale. Abagnale passed millions of dollars in not so nice checks and for many years pretended to be a pilot.
His forged Harvard Law degree had him sitting pretty as the Louisiana Attorney General but his resume gets even better when his impersonated a sociology professor and a Pediatrician. The movie “Catch Me If You Can” is based on his story.
8. Victor Lustig
He could sell ya swamp land in the Sahara, Victor Lustig was an elaborate con artist who made his living off other people stupidity. His greatest deal was selling a scrap metal dealer the Eiffel Tower!
7. Arthur Furguson
Arthur Furguson has a few up on Lustig. The Scottish con artist sold Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and even old the White House! It was not until he tried to sell our Lady Liberty when he was caught.
6. Christopher Rocancourt
Selling things one does not own was one of the trademarks of Rockefeller wannabe Christopher Rocancourt.
He sold a home in Paris for near one and a half million dollars after showing a fake deed. He also spiced up his resume with jobs like having been a one-time boxing champ and movie producer. His make-believe world got him a playboy model wife as well has hefty fines and prison time.
Here seen on the red carpet with super model Naomi Cambell
5. Gregor MacGregor
A country unto himself, or at least his vivid imagination earned Gregor MacGregor a nice little nest egg.
He convinced many a Brit in the early 1800’s that he discovered a new country called “Poyois” allegedly off the coast of Honduras. Investors flocked to the area only to discover, water water everywhere.
4. Rob Palatus & Fab Morvan
“Girl You Know It’s True” was one big fat lie. Milli Vanilli or Fab Morvan and Rob Palatus as they are really known scammed the world and the Grammys by pretending to be the singers behind the hit song.
It all hit them in the face when the recording of the song skipped during their “live” performance.
3. Soapy Smith
Soapy Smith cleaned up in the old west as he sold regular soap on street corner. While he talked to the onlookers about all the wonderful qualities of his soap he would wrap money around a few bars then wrap them all in plain paper. He mixed it all up and everyone rushed to find the golden ticket or green back as it were.
2. James Hogue
The cost of a good education is staggering but not for James Hogue. He duped Princeton, not once but twice out of 30,000 dollars in financial aid when he enrolled under different names.
His arrest did not rehabilitate him however, after serving time, he once again claimed to be someone he was not and got a job as a Security Guard at Harvard University campus Museum. There he managed to exchange 50,000 dollars worth of gems for fake ones.
1. Frank Demara
Frank Demara is also known as the “Great Imposter.” He began taking on the identities of his army buddies and work his way through many pseudo careers.
His most famous was as a surgeon on board a Canadian Navy destroyer. As Dr. Joseph Cyr he was “successful” thanks mostly to lots of antibiotics. He died in 1982 as a Baptist Minister… we think.
I wish to thank you for placing my great-grandfather, Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith in the rank of 3rd place on your list, as well as linking to my website. My family is proud that he plays such a prominent, if not infamous, roll in history.
Jeff Smith
Soapy Smith Preservation Trust
Jeff, not that I am poking any fun at you, but are you the Frugal gourmet?
People like Soapy make history palatable by adding flavor… our pleasure.