The World S Greatest Crooks Conmen

Like it or not, the rascals and rogues of this world are generally more interesting characters than the good guys. Their names and escapades are better remembered than those of the heroes. In this volume you will find a remarkable array of men and women, including the politician who faked his own death, the clerk who 'invested' £32 million of his banks money adn the train robber who became a legend in his own lifetime.

Profiles the many individuals who succeeded even as they were lying through their teeth, recounting the stories of an art forger who fooled the experts, a surgeon with no medical training, and many others

Ten stories that explore some of the most outrageous swindlers and tricksters of all time. Scams! reveals 10 true tales of trickery that will mesmerize young readers. They will discover how the Germans planned to destroy the British economy during World War II by flooding the world with millions of fake British bank-notes. Scams! also includes: • The Tasady: Stone Age cavemen of the Philippines • The Shakespearean forgery of William Ireland • P.T. Barnum and his greatest show on earth • The creation of the Bibliotheca Phillipica • Le Grand Theresa • John Keely’s engine • Karl May’s extraordinary fiction Readers of any age will be enthralled by these stories of trickery exposed, where the strange twists and turns truly test the limits of credulity.

Crooks, conmen, fakers, forgers, rascals, rogues, vagabonds and villains -his book is a cornucopia of crime. Throughout history, we have been connednd bamboozled by the most intricate scams and imaginative scoundrels thathe criminal world has to offer. This book offers a look at these shadyharacters - from 19th century art forgers to 21st century conmen such aseter Foster.;The text details how they pulled off their scams and whatotivates them to do what they do. Beware - after reading this you may neverrust anyone again.

Crime DOES pay. There's no denying it. And in pursuit of riches and power, those outside the law have always tended to band together - spawning today's murky, brutal world of organised crime.The origins of the archetypical gangster can be traced to 1920s America, when Prohibition turned street-corner hoodlums into rich and powerful businessmen. But today highly organised ferociously protective gangs are prevalent throughout the world. Despite their despicable methods, we are still fascinated by their labyrinthe networks. How did these gangs form? How do they wield their power? How do they maintain their secretive societies? And how do they evade the massive forces of law and order arrayed against them? Nigel Blundell, who is author of more than a dozen factual crime books, reveals the answers in The World's Most Evil Gangs.This book delves into the darkest depths of the underworld, from mobsters in America to Hells Angels in Germany to child armies in Africa...not forgetting the monsters on our own doorstep.

From Clifford Irving and his Howard Hughes hoax to the great imposter Frank “Catch Me if You Can” Abagnale—a fascinating history of the art of the con. They’re shrewd, cunning, devious—and charmingly trustworthy. While the criminal exploits of these tricksters, frauds, and swindlers can’t be condoned, it’s near-impossible not to be awed by their audacity and ingenuity. Take Victor Lustig, the “Bouncing Czech” who sold the Eiffel Tower—twice; John Stonehouse, a philandering politician who faked his own death to escape his sins; the impotence cure of the bizarre Dr. John Brinkley who transplanted goat testicles on gullible men; embarrassingly successful Goldman Sachs embezzler Joyti De-Laurey; or Robert Hendy-Freegard, a car salesman and serial seducer who convinced scores of women he was an MI5 agent. Here, too, are the exploits of a “friend of the stars” who infiltrated a royal castle; a fake Scots “laird” who operated from the heart of Scotland Yard; evangelists who fell from grace; and other pilferers, parasites, artful dodgers, charming bastards, femme fatales, big fat liars, and grand masters of dishonorable mention.