Posted on December 5, 2023
Throughout history, opportunistic charlatans have preyed on the credulous, ensnaring even esteemed figures in their web of deception. Merriam-Webster defines a charlatan as a quack who makes “showy pretenses to knowledge or ability,” a term synonymous with a variety of colorful descriptors in the Oxford English Dictionary. From miracle cures to spectral photography, these fraudsters have etched their names into the annals of deceit.
1. Elisha Perkins
Elisha Perkins peddled a quack remedy without mysterious elixirs or dubious surgeries. To combat ailments like rheumatism, he advocated rubbing two metallic tractors over the afflicted area. Dubbed “Perkins Metallic Tractors,” these implements, one brass and one iron, gained popularity in post-revolutionary America. Even President George Washington fell victim to the placebo effect they induced, marking an early instance of scientific recognition.
2. William Mumler
Amidst the mid-19th century Spiritualist movement, photographer William Mumler capitalized on grief by selling portraits featuring faded figures of clients’ deceased loved ones. Although accused of fraud and manipulating images, Mumler’s act successfully navigated a trial, allowing him to photograph even First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln with her late husband’s purported spirit.
3. Mary Baker
In 1817, Mary Baker duped the British public into believing she was Princess Caraboo, a fictitious royal figure from the made-up island of Javasu. Adopting exotic attire and an invented language, Baker captivated audiences with performances showcasing her non-existent skills. Exposed as a cobbler’s daughter, she later entertained Americans with her faux princess act in Philadelphia.
4. Amy Bock
Amy Bock, New Zealand’s first classified habitual female criminal, led a life of petty scams. Notorious for her male alter ego, Percy Redwood, Bock orchestrated a fake marriage scam in 1909, exploiting Agnes Ottaway. Despite imprisonment, Bock continued her deceptive practices into old age.
5. John Brinkley
John Brinkley, a 1920s and ’30s charlatan, advocated a bizarre impotence cure involving goat testicles surgically attached to men’s scrotums. Exploiting radio for mass promotion, Brinkley faced scrutiny from the American Medical Association, leading to legal battles and revelations of his dubious medical credentials.
6. Charles Ponzi
In 1920, Charles Ponzi orchestrated a scheme based on international reply coupons, promising investors substantial returns in a short period. Despite being charged with mail fraud and serving prison time, Ponzi’s name became synonymous with such fraudulent operations.
7. Clark Stanley
Regarded as America’s first snake oil salesman, Clark Stanley marketed his “Snake Oil Liniment” as a cure-all for pain. However, federal investigations revealed the concoction contained no snake oil, resulting in a $20 fine for Stanley.
8. Norman Bake
In the 1920s and ’30s, Norman Baker falsely promised groundbreaking cancer treatments at his facilities. Swindling millions from desperate patients, Baker faced legal repercussions, including a conviction for mail fraud and a brief prison sentence. Additionally, his dubious practices extended to burying medicine bottles filled with tissue on the property of his Arkansas clinic.