The story of Charles Ponzi is also a well - known con artist story. He ran the famous Ponzi scheme. He promised investors high returns in a short time by using new investors' money to pay off the old ones. People were lured in by the seemingly easy money. It wasn't until later that it all came crashing down. There's also the case of Anna Sorokin who conned New York's elite. She pretended to be a wealthy German heiress and managed to get luxury accommodation, expensive meals, and loans from banks and individuals.
Well, usually they involve characters who are really good at deceiving others. They might have charming personalities and a way of talking that makes people trust them easily.
Well, for one, they need to be highly intelligent. They should be able to think on their feet and come up with elaborate lies quickly. For example, like the character in 'Catch Me If You Can', he was able to create false identities with ease.
Con artist short stories are known for their intricate schemes and the way they play with the reader's expectations. They might have characters who are incredibly charming but morally ambiguous. And often, there's a sense of justice being served in the end, one way or another.
Another one is 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. It depicts the wild and fraudulent adventures of Jordan Belfort. The film stays true to many of the actual events of his life.
One of the most well - known is Professor Henry Higgins from 'Pygmalion' and its musical adaptation 'My Fair Lady'. He manages to 'con' Eliza Doolittle into changing her entire way of speaking and behaving through his rather manipulative teaching methods.
Well, 'The Confidence Game' by Maria Konnikova is quite popular. It offers an interesting look into the world of cons.
Well, there's the story of Gregor MacGregor. He was a Scottish con artist who claimed to be the 'Cazique of Poyais'. He sold land in a non - existent country to investors. He had fake maps, currency, and even a national anthem for this fictional place. People bought into his lies and lost a great deal of money. It shows how con artists can create entire fictional worlds to deceive people.
For con-artist fiction, you can't go wrong with 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' by Patricia Highsmith. Another great choice is 'The Sting' by David Maurer. Both have complex cons and fascinating twists.
One such movie is 'Catch Me If You Can'. It's a great example of a con artist story based on real events. The plot is engaging and the characters are memorable.
'The Art of Deception' is well-known. It stands out for its detailed world-building and exploration of the con artist's psyche. The character development is deep, making you really care about what happens to them.