Writer Faked Interviews with World's Most Mysterious Billionaire

追加: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]In 1971, a struggling writer pulled off one of the most audacious cons in literary history. Clifford Irving convinced McGraw-Hill publishers that Howard Hughes, the world's most reclusive billionaire, had chosen him to write his authorized biography. There was just one problem. Irving had never met Hughes.

[00:00:19]For months, Irving forged letters in Hughes' handwriting. He studied the billionaire's psychology from old interviews. He created entirely fictional meetings and conversations.

[00:00:29]The publishers were thrilled. They offered Irving $750,000 for the exclusive book deal. Irving's plan was brilliant. Hughes hadn't been seen in public for years. The man was practically a ghost. Irving bet that Hughes would never emerge from hiding to deny the book's authenticity. But Irving made one crucial mistake. He deposited Hughes' advance payment into a Swiss bank account under the [music] name H.

[00:00:55]R. Hughes. When investigators traced the account, they discovered [music] it belonged to Irving's wife. The perfect literary hoax destroyed by a paper trail. Irving got two and a half years in prison. Hughes finally broke his silence to expose the fraud.