He is the first North American pontiff to be elected leader of the Catholic Church
Let's face it: we've all been dishonest. Whether it's a little fib or a deception to avoid embarrassment, dishonesty is something we're all guilty of. Throughout history, however, there have been some truly infamous instances of blatant deception that have had serious consequences. From fabrications and cover-ups to outright falsehoods, these acts of dishonesty have affected both individuals and society as a whole.
Take a look back and explore some of these shocking lies and the impact they've had.
In June 1961, East German head of state Walter Ulbricht insisted that "Nobody has the intention of building a wall". However, just two months later, construction on the Berlin Wall began. This wall came to represent division and oppression until its eventual demolition in 1989.
In 1966, a popular urban legend emerged claiming that Paul McCartney had passed away in November of that year and had been substituted by a lookalike. The speculation gained more traction in 1969 with the release of 'Abbey Road': the album cover displayed the Beatle without shoes, out of sync with the other members of the band, which was interpreted as a representation of a deceased person. Additionally, the license plate on the Volkswagen in the photo featured the letters LMW 28IF, thought to symbolize McCartney's age "if" he had survived.
German R&B duo Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, known as Milli Vanilli, gained notoriety in the music industry in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it was discovered that they didn't provide the actual vocals for their recorded music. The truth was exposed during a live MTV performance, where the pair were caught lip-syncing to their hit song 'Girl You Know It's True.'
Bernie Madoff, an investment adviser and financier, made a startling revelation that profoundly impacted global stock markets. He admitted to orchestrating the largest Ponzi scheme ever recorded, as well as the most substantial financial deception in the history of the United States. His unlawful actions resulted in the loss of billions of dollars for countless investors. In 2009, Madoff received a prison sentence of 150 years, and he passed away in April 2021 while serving his term.
Shipbuilders Harland and Wollf did not assert the unsinkable nature of RMS Titanic when it was launched on May 31, 1911. Nevertheless, when White Star Line officials learned about the ship's predicament after colliding with an iceberg on April 15, 1912, during its inaugural voyage, Vice President P.A.S. Franklin reportedly expressed "We place absolute confidence in the Titanic. We believe the boat is unsinkable." Ultimately, the ship's sinking resulted in the tragic loss of over 1,500 lives.
In 2003, the United States, along with the United Kingdom and other coalition forces, invaded Iraq after concluding that the country, under Saddam Hussein's leadership, had an existing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) program. However, no evidence of WMD stockpiles or an ongoing program was discovered in Iraq.
One of Antiquity’s most enduring myths is the story about the subterfuge that the Greeks used to enter Troy. They built a huge wooden horse and hid a select force of men inside. The Trojans, believing it was a victory trophy left by their defeated foe, pulled the horse into their city. After dark, the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek Army. Today, a malicious computer program that tricks users into running it is called a "Trojan horse."
Anna Anderson, seen in the picture, asserted that she was Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the Romanov family. This family consisted of Russian tsar Nicholas II, the empress, and their five children, who were executed in 1918 by Bolshevik revolutionaries. In 1921, this woman who resembled Anastasia was admitted to a hospital, stating that she was the daughter who managed to escape the massacre. In a failed attempt to validate her claim, she filed a lawsuit in 1938. She passed away in 1984. Eventually, the remains of the Romanov family were found, and DNA testing revealed none of them matched Anderson's. Subsequently, she was identified as a Polish factory worker named Franziska Schanzkowska.
Italian swindler Charles Ponzi is widely known for his enduring fraudulent scheme. In 1919, he devised a pyramid scheme centered on buying and selling international reply coupons. By luring investors with the promise of sky-high returns, Ponzi managed to con them into sending him millions of dollars. However, his scheme relied on using investments from later investors to pay off earlier ones. Thus, Ponzi's operation was essentially a deceitful cycle.
The scandal, which continues to have an impact on the sports world today, involves certain individuals from the Chicago White Sox baseball team accepting a bribe to intentionally lose the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. The bribe involved a significant amount of money, with estimates ranging up to US$100,000 (equivalent to approximately US$1.5 million in today's currency).
Donald Trump's tenure as president from January 2017 was marked by ongoing scrutiny from fact-checkers. One notable claim involved his inauguration, where he asserted that as many as 1.5 million individuals attended, boldly stating it was "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period." However, subsequent investigations revealed this figure to be significantly exaggerated.
Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army during the late 19th century, faced allegations of selling military secrets to Germany. Following a conviction, Dreyfus spent five years in prison on Devil's Island. However, it was later discovered that his accusation had stemmed from a false claim, initiated by French Army major Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy. This case caused a rift in France's society, resulting in novelist Émile Zola accusing the army of engaging in a significant cover-up.
A set of six articles were published in The Sun, a New York newspaper, starting on August 15, 1835. The articles proposed the existence of peculiar bat-like creatures found on the Moon. The newspaper attributed this information to the esteemed astronomer Sir John Herschel. However, the truth was revealed when Richard Locke, a reporter from the paper, confessed to orchestrating the hoax.
In 1934, a photograph depicting the Loch Ness Monster was featured in the Daily Mail, which led many in the United Kingdom to believe that a mysterious prehistoric creature inhabited the depths of the beautiful Scottish lake. However, this belief was shattered when it was revealed that the "monster" was actually a well-executed hoax. The photograph showcased a toy submarine cleverly disguised with a wooden head and neck made from putty.
"I did not have s***** relations with that woman". In 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of involvement with intern Monica Lewinsky. However, it was the discovery of his DNA in a stain on Lewinsky's dress that ultimately led the president to face consequences for his actions.
In 1912, Charles Dawson, an amateur archaeologist, and Arthur Smith Woodward, a geologist at the British Natural History Museum in London, made an announcement about the discovery of skull fragments and a jawbone from an early human in Piltdown, England. The remains were found in a gravel pit, and Dawson believed that he had found evidence of the "missing link" between ape and man. However, it was later revealed that the bones had been stained to resemble ancient fossils, and the teeth, likely from an orangutan or chimpanzee, had been altered to look human.
American road racing cyclist Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor and revered figure, faced continual allegations of doping following his victory in the 1999 Tour de France. Initially, Armstrong vehemently denied any involvement in doping, but in 2013 he admitted to it. Consequently, all his accomplishments starting from August 1998, including his remarkable seven Tour de France triumphs, were revoked. Armstrong's confession greatly impacted his once-sterling reputation.
In June 1941, Alan Turing, a British mathematician, successfully decrypted the Nazi Enigma code. The code had previously enabled German U-boats to carry out attacks on Allied shipping convoys in the North Atlantic. Following this breakthrough, Ultra, a classified Allied intelligence initiative, began misleading the Germans with a series of false information in order to prevent them from discovering the truth.
The revelation of Soviet ballistic missile deployment in Cuba by the Americans could have led to a potentially catastrophic nuclear conflict. The Russians insisted that their motives were purely defensive, but photographic evidence of disguised missile sites convinced the Kennedy administration that Nikita Khrushchev, the Russian leader, had ulterior motives.
On Sunday, October 30, 1938, a radio episode of 'The Mercury Theatre on the Air' was aired. Actor Orson Welles directed and narrated the program, which was an adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel 'The War of the Worlds'. The episode took the form of live news bulletins, delivering increasingly alarming updates. The realistic nature of the broadcast caused a widespread panic as listeners genuinely believed that Martians were attacking the Earth.
In 1678, Anglican Titus Oates falsely claimed to have discovered a Catholic plot to murder King Charles II. This led to a surge of anti-Catholic feelings throughout the country. King James, who succeeded Charles, had Oates prosecuted for lying under oath and imprisoned. Nevertheless, Oates was later pardoned by William III and was even granted a pension.
In 1917, two young cousins named Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths were able to deceive none other than the renowned writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. They accomplished this by creating a collection of photographs purportedly showing the girls encountering imaginary fairies at Cottingley in northern England. However, in the 1980s, Elsie and Frances confessed that the "fairies" were actually cardboard cutouts taken from a children's book.
Phineas Taylor Barnum, an American showman, is well-known for his talent in promoting sensational deceits, along with his ability to exploit the public's fascination with the extraordinary. In 1835, Barnum presented Joice Heth, claiming she was George Washington's nursemaid and a remarkable 161 years old. However, after her death, an examination discovered that she had only lived up to 80 years. Barnum's first significant hoax was introduced in 1842, featuring a creature that possessed a monkey's body and a fish's tail, famously referred to as the "Feejee" mermaid.
Born in 1889, Dutch artist Han van Meegeren is known as one of the most skilled art forgers of the 20th century. Through his talent, he successfully deceived renowned art critics and historians by creating impeccable replicas of masterpieces by acclaimed artists such as Pieter de Hooch and especially Johannes Vermeer. Van Meegeren's ability to mimic these celebrated painters led him to great acclaim in the art world.
US President Richard Nixon denied any involvement in the Watergate break-in that occurred in June 1972. On national television, he proclaimed, "I am not a crook" and "There can be no whitewash at the White House." Nonetheless, Nixon resigned from his second term on August 9, 1974.
In 1963, John Profumo, the British Secretary of State for War, refuted allegations of being involved in an intimate relationship with Christine Keeler, a prospective model, during an event known as the "Profumo affair". Keeler was also romantically connected to Captain Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet naval attaché. Eventually, Profumo came forward and confessed to the affair, resulting in his resignation from both the government and Parliament.
The most infamous lies that shaped history
Outrageous lies and their long-term effects on the world
LIFESTYLE False
Let's face it: we've all been dishonest. Whether it's a little fib or a deception to avoid embarrassment, dishonesty is something we're all guilty of. Throughout history, however, there have been some truly infamous instances of blatant deception that have had serious consequences. From fabrications and cover-ups to outright falsehoods, these acts of dishonesty have affected both individuals and society as a whole.
Take a look back and explore some of these shocking lies and the impact they've had.