7 great schemers (7 photos)

November 6, 1978 at the 80 th year of life left this world Osip Shor - a prototype of Ostap Bender. We decided to recall the most famous cheaters in the world. You wonder why the history of adventurers, liars and frauds are of interest no less than an act of great generals, governors, academics, and other worthy men? Quite simply brilliant scam is like a work of art and virtuosity can compete with the game genius musician.

In the lexicon of psychologists Interpol is the definition of "charming scamp", which they characterize repeat offenders whose ingenious and rather brazen "exploits" cause if you do not respect, then at least sympathy.

MEETING CONTINUES!





Charming clever swindlers whose masterly craftsmanship fraud could compete with the work of a genius musician, playing Liszt's Transcendental Etudes, invariably evoke sympathy. Adventurers of all time for the Russian public, of course, is the grand strategist Ostap Bender. I must say that the history of the first novel about Ostap Ibrahimovic is no less interesting than the personality of the protagonist. The idea of ​​writing a book about treasures hidden in the furniture, belonged to his elder brother Yevgeny Petrov - Valentin Kataev. There she read them the story of Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons" in which the master of deduction, Sherlock Holmes had to find a pearl in one of the six plaster bust of the French emperor. Kataev offered his brother and his fellow journalists Ilya Ilf write a draft of the novel details the plan drawn up by them. Reporters for the work undertaken, but with such enthusiasm that the venerable writer was forced to abandon the co-authors: the book there is little left of his ideas.

But back to Bender, or rather his prototype - Odessits Osip (or Ostap) Veniaminovich Shore. After graduating from high school Iliad Shore decided to continue studying in St. Petersburg, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Returning to Odessa, frustrated student without a penny, to twist as he could. He represents and grandmaster (the story is well known), and the artists who painted portraits of fair value of all comers, and fire inspectors visited by various organizations to test, and even hiding from the authorities of a member of the anti-Soviet parties. Podnatorev an adventure, on arrival home Shore continued to improve their skills, to the point that once acted as a professor to lecture on the revolution in domestic poultry industry - namely, on the breeders bred a new breed of bald chickens. The experiments ended when Shore attracted to work in the criminal investigation. In 1922 Shore moved to Moscow and met with Valentin Kataev, who decided to tell about the adventures of a resourceful odessite.

Daughter of a millionaire



When legendary Sonka the Golden Pen was serving a term in a Siberian prison, and in Moscow, a new star was rising adventures Olga von Stein in America violent activities defalcation launched Elizabeth Bigley. During his short but bright and busy life, she played some brilliant roles changed a lot of names and has spent more than one million is not an honest way earned dollars.

The first part of the future mistress of fraud was arrested at age 22 - for a fake cashier's check. However, pretending to be mentally ill, Bigley came early from prison, and took hold of the old ... After moving from Canada to the US Cleveland, she tried her hand as a fortune teller, fortune tellers and even control female board, which in fact was a brothel. This is where Elizabeth, at that time, changed his name to Cassie Hoover, charmed one of the regulars, a wealthy widower Leroy Chadwick, and happily married. It would seem that the time has come to stay, but that's when Cassie Chadwick conceived the most brilliant of his adventures.

Rotating in Cleveland high society adventurer started a rumor that she stalepromyshlennika illegitimate daughter of Andrew Carnegie and produced fake promissory note for $ 2 million, signed a millionaire. The news shattered the speed of light, and now the local banks are vying with each other offer loans for future heiress. Eight years Mrs. Chadwick played a role, basking in luxury, which she provided numerous lenders. The scam was revealed only in 1904, when the Boston bank decided yet to recover from the debt Cassie and sued. The investigation led police to the house of the unsuspecting "father" - Andrew Carnegie. Asked whether Chadwick his heir, he naturally replied in the negative, but wished to be present at court to witness the woman who for eight years was his "daughter".

Play for high stakes



Sale of the Eiffel Tower has become one of the most high-profile cases of the last century. Turn is, twice, only by a genius. He was Victor Lustig. At age 20, he sold fake machine ... counterfeiting! In 1920 he moved to America - and has not lost. Assigned himself the title of count, fluency in five languages, the ability to stay in the community and knowledge of psychology opened the door for him (and wallets) nobles. Said Lustig managed to cheat itself Al Capone.

In 1925, Lustig in search of easy money had arrived in Paris, where he learned from the newspapers that the Eiffel tower is dilapidated procedure, and the city is not enough money for restoration. The idea was born scam immediately. Having made a fake document certifying that the holder - deputy head of the Ministry of Post and Telegraph, and taking off his posh hotel room, Lustig sent out invitations to the biggest buyers-metal. In a confidential conversation scammer he told businessmen that the government intends to carry burdensome for the city design and sell on the closed auction.

Property interests of all, however, "has won the tender" Andre Poisson. Having laid out a tidy sum, and get the documents at the Eiffel Tower, pretty businesswoman went to build grandiose plans, and Lustig, meanwhile, was already hurrying to Vienna. Of course, Poisson discovered the deception, but rather to hide it.

Flushed with success, conman returned to Paris to repeat the same trick. However, luck turned away from him, hiding from the police, Lustig was forced to flee to the United States, where in the end ended up in prison Alcatraz.

LIMIT human stupidity



"Career" Englishman Arthur Ferguson, an actor by profession, began with the alleged sale of ancient coins, which he pushed naive tourists. Things were going well, and Ferguson decided to play for high stakes. Strolling somehow in Trafalgar Square, he saw an American tourist, to admire the column of Admiral Nelson. Ferguson approached him and, posing as an officer, said that the convoy, as well as many other sights of London, for sale: this way Britain is going to pay the debt of the United States military. Naturally, for a story followed by an offer to purchase a monument at a good price, and the transaction took place. After Nelson's Column Ferguson found new owners for Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.

When the detectives of Scotland Yard still managed to get on the trail swindler, Ferguson has already crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Here, successfully passing rent the White House, he got burned on a regular sale of the Statue of Liberty. Asked by the judge that they were moved at the time of all these suspicious transactions, he replied, "solely by a desire to find out where there is a limit to human stupidity".

SELLER VOID



Age uncrowned king scam early XX century Joseph Weil was long. Yellow throws (a nickname Whale received a strange affection for the yellow tie) lived 101 years and managed to do a lot of things. As a teenager, he sold fake pensioners glasses in a gold frame, and later started producing miracle remedies for worms and trafficking in stray dogs, and then moved on to more sophisticated methods of defrauding money. All this could not remain without attention of the police, and soon the scammers caught red-handed. However, to the site Whale and did not get: $ 8 thousand. Proposed police Buckminster Fred, he was not only freedom but also a sensible accomplice.

At the beginning of the XX century, the pair caused a sensation throughout the east coast, but became famous for selling non-existent land (rumored to be the bait caught even Mussolini). Weill's most famous trick - Buckminster became played out with the aim to bamboozle the Canadian millionaire play "One hour in the life of the bank." To splurge alien crooks have hired a staff of actors who portrayed the employees and customers a solid bank. On the appointed day, a Canadian, arrived in Chicago and was brought to the building of merchant bank Tribune, the day before the move out, but not yet snyavshego signs. There was very lively: chattering cash registers, customers languished in the queues, operators counted bills and clerks scurrying everywhere. Impressed by this sham millionaire without hesitation put $ 400 thousand. For a fake plot of land with a non-existent oil field.

In different roles



Next character - Ferdinand Desmarais - not guided by mercantile interests, and played their roles for the sake of an idea. "The Great Impostor", dubbed by his contemporaries, had to try himself as a civil engineer, deputy sheriff, warden, a monk, a certified psychologist, counselor, teacher and even a scientist. With its unique storage and open-minded, he rarely fell under suspicion. The best-known adventure Desmarais - The role of the surgeon Joseph Guillemot (whom he met in Boston scammer) aboard the Canadian destroyer of the Royal Navy, who participated in the Korean War. During the period of "service" imposter has managed to carry out several successful operations, one of which is covered in the Canadian press. Imagine what was the amazement of the mother of Joseph Kaira, he learned from the newspapers that her son does not practice in New Brunswick, and saves the lives of sailors in the Pacific. She hurried to inform the authorities about the impostor, but when the news reached the ship's captain refused to believe that this was not a real doctor. And even see this, I decided not to prosecute the Desmarais, but simply sent him home.

On both sides of the fence



Well, perhaps the most prominent swindler XX century - Frank Abagnale. The story of his adventures, known worldwide thanks to the film Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can," is unique and instructive, and most importantly - it once again proves that a talented person is talented in everything.
His outstanding ability Abagnale showed in his youth - in 16 years, he tried them, stealing money from the bank card of his father. Later, the fraudster forged checks carried away by other, more clever and far more audacious financial fraud. While hiding from criminal prosecution, Abagnale showed miracles of transformation. Changing names, documents and appearance, he managed to fulfill the role of the pilot of civil aviation, a sociology professor, pediatrician and Assistant Attorney General. When finally caught Abagnale (it happened in France), 12 countries have demanded his extradition for crimes committed on their territory the crime. When Frank Abagnale returned home, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but was released early for cooperating with the FBI. Today he lives with his family in Oklahoma, has a beautiful house, your own business and the condition of millions of dollars. And the money earned is quite legal way: after prison, Frank has created a program to protect against fraud and successfully sells it to banks - recent victims of his criminal talent. In addition, Abagnale continues to work for the FBI and frequently lectures his former persecutors. What can I say? Genius!

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Source: oxyxo.ru