2010-02-13

10 of the biggest lies in history


Supposedly, the truth can set you free. But for many, deceit holds the key to money, fame, revenge or power, and these prove all too tempting. In history, this has often resulted in elaborate hoaxes, perjuries, and forgeries that had enormous ripple effects.
Lots of us lie, but what are the biggest fibs ever?
  • Bernie Madoff's Ponzi Scheme: Madoff may not have invented the Ponzi Scheme, but he took it to new lengths. For one, he made a record amount of money from the scheme. But he was also able to keep it going much longer than most Ponzi schemers.
  • Piltdown Man: When archaeologist Charles Dawson unearthed what he thought was a missing link in 1910, what he really found was one of the biggest hoaxes in history.
  • Watergate: Two decades before the Clinton scandal, another U.S. president was caught in a web of lies, and the controversy had devastating effects on the country as a whole.
Full story at HowStuffWorks.com.
Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.

No comments: