As Cassie Chadwick, Betty Bigley's biggest fraud of all began when she convinced the world that she was the daughter of Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men in the world. But Cassie and Andrew Carnegie, though, had never met. Not once.
Jun 2021
A Victorian Mystery: Was Arthur Orton the Tichborne Claimant?
<p>This episode is a story about a shipwreck, a contended inheritance, and a butcher. You'll meet three men: Arthur Orton, Thomas Castro, and Sir Roger Tichborne, who was the man at the center of this whole affair and a man lost at sea.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choice ... Show More
33m 6s
Jun 2021
Was Perkin Warbeck a 'Sham' Duke, or the Real Thing?
<p>Upon Richard III's death in 1485, a man named Perkin Warbeck saw an opportunity. Since there was no firm evidence as to the fate of either of the Princes in the Tower, what should stop him claiming one of their identities? So he laid claim to the throne of the first Tudor King ... Show More
26m 34s
Jul 2023
The Biggest Little Confidence Queen in Texas (and New York, Montana, and San Francisco): Bertha Heyman
A tale as old as crime. Phony wealthy widow seeks dupe to front her cash until her non-existent inheritance comes through. The queen of the hill, top of the heap when it came to these cons? Bertha Heyman aka Big Bertha. Derided by newspapers, besmitten by suitors, no one ran a co ... Show More
52m 5s
May 2021
“Soho Grifter” Anna Sorokin Pt. 1
A con artist storms New York’s social scene in the 2010s, cementing her place in high society as a German heiress worth millions. Anna Delvey masterfully swindled banks, hotels, airlines, even her own friends out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Her past was murky, but her pe ... Show More
42m 11s
Aug 2024
The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 2. Psychic to the Stars
Who was Maria Duval? Her son says she had a gift, an ability to see people’s futures. She helped locate missing people and worked with the French elite, befriending Jacques Chirac and Brigitte Bardot. In the late 80s, when two businessmen approached Maria Duval with a life-changi ... Show More
38m 33s
Nov 2019
How Bertha Heyman Conned Her Way Into Show Business
Bertha Heyman was a notorious con artist with a robust rap sheet and a penchant for bilking well-to-do, otherwise shrewd men. Listen in to learn how Bertha's life of crime led her, oddly enough, into showbiz. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.co ... Show More
42m 39s