Take This Crime Quiz and See What You Know About Crooked Cults, Con Men and Killers!
Written by Daniel Rackley
Last updated · 27 min play time
While the vast majority of people are good, there are some that are downright evil. These demons that walk along us take form in many shapes. Take this quiz and see what you know about the cult leaders, con men, and killers!
Quiz written by
Daniel RackleyCrime Quiz Questions
61 Questions · 4.5K Plays · No comments
Question 1
While he gained fame and popularity as both a professional athlete and an actor, most of his notoriety actually came from his murder trial.
-
AAlex Pettyfer
-
BJohn Amos
-
CO.J. Simpson
-
DBill Cosby
O.J. Simpson
The celebrity in question here is O.J. Simpson. His murder trial may be the most famous celebrity court case there's ever been, and, of course, it created an equally iconic mugshot.
Question 2
What infamous London killer stalked the night and was never caught?
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AWilliam the Conqueror
-
BVlad the Impaler
-
CIvan the Terrible
-
DJack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
This serial killer hunted the streets of London in the late 19th century. Jack the Ripper targeted sex workers, attacking in a sadistic manner with a carving knife. Many believe he was a surgeon or a butcher, due to his understanding of human anatomy. Scotland Yard never found the killer, although they followed more than 100 leads.
Question 3
This nightmare narcissist represented himself at a trial that became the first televised murder trial. Name that necrophiliac.
-
ATed Bundy
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BPatrick Bateman
-
CLuis Garavito
-
DMarc Dutroux
Ted Bundy
This serial killer taught women to say "screw politeness". That's because he used to prey on the kindness of strangers, often wearing a cast and pretending like he just needed help carrying something to his car. Of course, it was all a ruse. Ted Bundy was such a narcissist that he represented himself at trial. That didn't go over so well, as he was convicted and executed in the electric chair in 1989.
Question 4
The wild hair and Hawaiian shirt from this celebrity mugshot instantly made it one of the most recognizable and memorable.
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AWeird Al
-
BNick Nolte
-
CGary Busey
-
DTed Danson
Nick Nolte
Arrested for drunk driving in Malibu, California, Nick Nolte would later admit that he looked crazed in his mugshot.
Question 5
Better known as the "Son of Sam," what serial killer terrorized NYC in the '70s?
-
ADavid Berkowitz
-
BCarl Panzram
-
CRoy Norris
-
DMichael Myers
David Berkowitz
For over a year, the "Son of Sam" reigned terror on New York City, shooting at his victims, many of whom were young women with long brown hair. This caused a mass dyeing and cutting of hair among young female residents of the city. David Berkowitz was caught in 1977 and given six consecutive life sentences.
Question 6
Known for targeting and cannibalizing men, what serial killer committed his first murder at 18?
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ATed Bundy
-
BDexter
-
CBoston Strangler
-
DJeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer
This madman drifter committed particularly gruesome killings, which often involved cannibalism. Jeffrey Dahmer is believed to have murdered 17 men between 1978 and 1991.
Question 7
This famous musician ended up behind bars after a sexual misconduct charge. It may be hard to recognize him when he's out of character and not on stage.
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APhilip Seymour Hoffman
-
BEdward Norton
-
CTaffy
-
DMarilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Brian Hugh Warner, or "Marilyn Manson", has surprisingly few arrests considering his sinister stage persona. This sheepish mugshot comes from a sexual misconduct charge in 2001.
Question 8
This important figure in the world of boxing has one of the most iconic images, and one of the most iconic mugshots, but do you remember his name?
-
AMichael Jace
-
BMuhammad Ali
-
CDon King
-
DMike Tyson
Don King
This familiar face is Don King, a famous boxing promoter. He was found guilty of manslaughter after a dispute over money turned violent though he was pardoned by the Governor of Ohio after serving just 3 years in prison.
Question 9
The Branch Davidians cult was founded by this man, their self-proclaimed "messiah." Name that Waco cult leader.
-
ALarry David
-
BDavid Koresh
-
CCharles Manson
-
DMarshall Applewhite
David Koresh
David Koresh wasn't about to go down easy when federal law enforcement agents approached the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, resulting in a standoff that would last for 51 days. The so-called "messiah," Koresh preached that the apocalypse was nigh, which must have made it easier to convince more than 70 followers on the compound to burn with it.
Question 10
Never caught, what serial killer sent cryptic messages to the Bay Area Press to be decoded?
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AThe Cleveland Torso Murderer
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BThe Zodiac Killer
-
CSweeney Todd
-
DGolden State Killer
The Zodiac Killer
The San Francisco area in the '60s and '70s saw the Zodiac Killer taunt the Bay Area Press with letters accompanied by ciphers to decode them. He claimed to have killed 37 in his final letter, which was the only one decoded. The killer has yet to be found.
Question 11
This actor has been arrested multiple times throughout his acting career.
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AAndy García
-
BLuke Wilson
-
CMickey Rourke
-
DLucas Till
Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke was convicted of driving under the influence in Miami Beach in 2007. As for his acting credits, you may recognize him from 'Diner', 'Rumble Fish', or 'The Wrestler'.
Question 12
Known as the "Killer Clown," what murderer gave us nightmares long before Stephen King's It?
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AHerman Webster Mudgett
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BDavid Berkowitz
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CJohn Wayne Gacy
-
DPennywise
John Wayne Gacy
Clowns are scary on their own merit, but John Wayne Gacy made them even more terrifying. The serial killer dressed as a clown for children's parties, but on his own time, he's believed to have killed 33 victims, mainly young men. In 1994, he was executed by lethal injection.
Question 13
Imposter Christian Gerhartsreiter was infamous for pretending to be from which famous New York family?
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AThe Rothschilds
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BThe Rumsfelds
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CThe Wests
-
DThe Rockefellers
The Rockefellers
The impersonator, Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, has a story as audacious as any. The con man took on identities that were just important enough to get him name recognition but not important enough to doubt or call into question, the greatest example of which is his turn as Clark Rockefeller. The imposter and convicted murderer also posed as a director, an actor, an art collector, a physicist, and an English aristocrat to name a few.
Question 14
This former Nasdaq chairman made off with $50 billion via his Ponzi scheme. Name that Wall Street fat cat.
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AJohn G. Ervin
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BJonathan Rabbit
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CBernie Madoff
-
DPeter Lombardi
Bernie Madoff
Most people know Bernie Madoff's mug, as he is considered the modern-day Ponzi. The $50 billion Ponzi scheme engineered by the former Nasdaq chairman is one for the books. As with most Ponzi schemes, Madoff's successful fraud was born on his credentials and his method of paying off existing investors using new investor funds. Madoff was turned in by his own sons in 2008 and was sentenced to 150 years in prison.
Question 15
This serial killer terrorized California in the '80s, burglarizing and killing at will. Name that "Night Stalker".
-
AEdward Adams
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BRichard Ramirez
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CRip Van Winkle
-
DSon of Sam
Richard Ramirez
Richard Ramirez reigned terror on the streets of California, breaking into area homes and killing his victims. His capture was televised, as he was identified by a witness on the street and a large group of people charged after him, holding him captive for arrest. He received 13 death penalties, with the judge describing his criminal acts as those of "cruelty, callousness, and viciousness beyond any human understanding."
Question 16
Mastermind cultist Shoko Asahara led a terrorist attack on what?
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AOklahoma City
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BWorld Trade Centers
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CEiffel Tower
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DTokyo subway system
Tokyo subway system
This terrorist cult leader masterminded an attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. Shoko Asahara and his cult Aum Shinrikyo ("Supreme Truth") released sarin gas on five crowded morning rush-hour subway trains, killing 13 and causing thousands more to be ill. The Japanese government was specifically targeted, as the attack was led on Kasumigaseki station, near where the government offices were situated. Asahara was executed in 2018 for the part he played in the attack.
Question 17
Cult leader, Sun Myung Moon, achieved a Guinness World Record when he married 6,516 strangers at once in 1988. Name that cult.
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AThe Starries
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BThe Moonies
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CThe Sunnies
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DThe Worker Bees
The Moonies
Sun Myung Moon was the founder of the Unification Church in the '60s and '70s, with his followers becoming known as "the Moonies". Blending Confucianism, shamanism, anti-communism, and Christianity, Moon was a self-proclaimed prophet who was "finishing Jesus' mission on Earth" by presiding over mass weddings between strangers that would "purify" families with the end goal being world peace. Guess he wasn't successful.
Question 18
This American singer and actor is almost as famous for his domestic violence arrests as he is for his music or acting.
-
AChris Brown
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BMike Tyson
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CHugh Jackman
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DJim Parsons
Chris Brown
You may remember Chris Brown from the news back in 2009. For his first domestic violence charge, he actually turned himself in to the police willingly. He assaulted his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
Question 19
What hippie "Christian" cult, led by David Berg, exploited children?
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AChildren of God
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BHoly Water Church
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CChurch of the Holy Sacrifice
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DThe Jesuits
Children of God
Colonies were founded by members of The Children of God (COG), a movement led by David Brandt Berg. Claiming to be a prophet, Berg wrote his followers over 3,000 letters that are known as the "Mo Letters". After serious misconduct and child sex abuse accusations, there was a mass exodus of members, but the remaining members took on another name: Family of Love.
Question 20
Calling it a "revolutionary act," where did Jim Jones order hundreds of followers to drink the Kool-Aid...literally?
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AJoe's Burger Shack
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BJohnston
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CJamestown
-
DJonestown
Jonestown
After setting up camp in San Francisco, the cult leader of the Peoples Temple, Jim Jones, grew chummy with many politicians, even becoming the city's Housing Authority chairmen. But after receiving negative publicity, he led his cult into a jungle in the South American country of Guyana to start what he said would be a utopian community, but what actually was a dystopian cult of pervasive abuse. A U.S. Representative, Leo Ryan, came to investigate claims of said abuse, and after a cordial meeting, he and his team were ambushed and killed on the airstrip as they waited to fly out. The same day, Jones led his cult in drinking cyanide-laced juice and then killed himself.
Question 21
This rare female serial killer was portrayed by Charlize Theron in Monster. Name that monster.
-
AMichelle Knotek
-
BHannah McKay
-
CDelphine LaLaurie
-
DAileen Wuornos
Aileen Wuornos
Female serial killers may be a rare breed, but they do exist. And this Monster pulled no punches. As a sex worker in Florida, Aileen Wuornos killed seven men, stealing their money. She was sentenced to death by lethal injection in 1992.
Question 22
This original schemer brought down six banks with his million-dollar pyramid. Name that Italian con man.
-
AGiorgio Armani
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BCharles Ponzi
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CSilvio Berlusconi
-
DAngelo Bruno
Charles Ponzi
If your crooked ways are so notorious that you have a scheme named after you, then you may just be Charles Ponzi. The con man after whom the Ponzi scheme is named was active in the early 20th century. After creating the "Securities Exchange Company" in Boston, Ponzi convinced investors to put their money toward foreign international reply coupons, after which he claimed redeeming these coupons for U.S. postage stamps would yield profits. He paid off existing clients – and himself – with the money received from new clients. All told, his investors lost around $20 million, and six banks went down with them.
Question 23
Japanese Emperor Hirohito was worshipped as the manifestation of the divine. He led his followers to complete what act, known as "divine wind"?
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AKamikaze
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BKonnichiwa
-
CMoshi moshi
-
DOnegai shimasu
Kamikaze
Many emperors and dictators have a cult of personality, and none more so than the last emperor of Japan, Emperor Hirohito, who led the country into WWII. Hirohito reintroduced the Shinto belief that the monarch was related to the goddess Amaterasu and, thus, was the divine connection between heaven and Earth. In his mission to expand the Japanese Empire, he invoked the concept of the "divine wind" or kamikazes – those dive-bombing pilots who self-sacrificed for the good of god...aka, the emperor, himself.
Question 24
Going back to the early days of film, this silent actor and comedian was charged with murder and rape.
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ACharlie Chaplin
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BHarold Lloyd
-
CFatty Arbuckle
-
DBuster Keaton
Fatty Arbuckle
It's Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Back in 1921, this famous actor was part of three trials over the course of six months, and was in the news nearly every day during that time. He was eventually acquitted after two hung juries.
Question 25
This '70s punk rocker was arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend in 1979. He was dead just seven weeks later.
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AJohnny Rotten
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BJoey Ramone
-
CSid Vicious
-
DIggy Pop
Sid Vicious
It's Sid Vicious. This bassist was a member of the Sex Pistols in the '70s, but once the band had broken up, he stabbed his girlfriend to death in a drug-fueled state.
Question 26
This sadistic serial killer built a "murder castle" at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair in which to torture his victims. Name that terror.
-
ABuffalo Bill
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BA. A. Williams
-
CH. H. Holmes
-
DW. C. Fields
H. H. Holmes
H. H. Holmes built himself a real-life house of horrors. The pharmacist-turned-murderer constructed a three-story inn that he called his "murder castle" right before the 1893 Chicago World's Fair kicked off. The castle had trap doors, secret passageways, soundproof padding, gas lines, and torture chambers. Holmes was caught and convicted of four murders, although he eventually confessed to 27 more. He was hanged in 1896.
Question 27
What imposter posed as a pilot for PanAm, a doctor, and a lawyer before he was even 21?
-
ALeonardo DiCaprio
-
BTom Petters
-
CVal Southwick
-
DFrank William Abagnale Jr.
Frank William Abagnale Jr.
Played by Leonardo di Caprio in <i>Catch Me If You Can</i>, this young fraudster was living the high life worthy of a movie. Banking on his skills in forgery and impersonation, Frank Abagnale didn't have to earn miles, as he hopped aboard Pan Am flights as a fake pilot, before faking his way through other high-flying professions, such as a physician and an attorney. All the while, he defrauded banks of millions by forging checks. He was only 21 when he was arrested in France and later struck a deal with the FBI as a consultant. He's since worked with the FBI for forty years.
Question 28
What Bavarian cult originated out of opposition to the monarchy and religion?
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ACelts
-
BThe Illuminati
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CGuy Fawkes
-
DFrench revolutionaries
The Illuminati
In fiction and in real life, the Illuminati have been blamed for a wide variety of crimes and revolutions, with some believing that the group controls the world. Founded in 1776 Bavaria, the group was founded under Enlightenment figures who resisted monarchical and religious abuses. Although the cult was outlawed, they are believed to have simply gone underground, only to become the puppeteers of everything from the French Revolution to the Cold War.
Question 29
Wearing a green handyman outfit, this man strangled his victims with rope. Name that "Boston Strangler".
-
ADayle Wayne Eaton
-
BJigsaw Killer
-
CAlbert DeSalvo
-
DMike DeBardeleben
Albert DeSalvo
The early '60s saw Albert DeSalvo stalking the streets of Boston and attacking and killing 13 women. He had previously broken into hundreds of women's homes and assaulted them before escalating to murder. After being given a life sentence, he was on the wrong end of "prison justice" and was killed in 1973.
Question 30
Shorthand for "bind, torture, kill," the BTK killer is otherwise known as which man?
-
ADennis Rader
-
BTodd Kohlhepp
-
CTate Langdon
-
DJoseph Kallinger
Dennis Rader
The "BTK Killer," Dennis Rader, was active between '71 and '91, choosing his victims to "bind, torture, and kill" by stalking them and breaking into their homes. But after falling off the map in 1988, he taunted police by sending the press a floppy disc, which was just what they needed to trace him. He's currently serving 10 consecutive life sentences.
Question 31
Called "the world's worst serial killer," what "Beast" is believed to have murdered over 300 victims?
-
AMickey Knox
-
BMose Gibson
-
CGary Evans
-
DLuis Garavito
Luis Garavito
America isn't the only country with serial killers running amok; Colombia has some truly terrible ones too. Likely the top of the list, Luis "The Beast" Garavito admitted to murdering 147 boys – a number which is believed to be far fewer than the estimate of over 300. Although he should have received 1,853 years in prison at his sentencing in 1999, he may get out in 30, according to Colombian law.
Question 32
This serial killer was the inspiration behind Hitchcock's Psycho. Name that madman with mommy issues.
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AEd Gein
-
BWilliam Burke
-
CBruno Ludke
-
DHannibal Lecter
Ed Gein
Believed to have murdered 11 people, Ed Gein had some major issues with his mother, dearest. While alive, his domineering mom controlled his life and, after she passed, Gein built a shrine to her in his home and collected body parts from a local graveyard to reassemble a version of his mom. The serial killing was an escalation.
Question 33
Which Irish con man was so handsome that he was let off the hook for his fake cure for consumption?
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AFernando Wood
-
BC. L. Blood
-
CFyodor Dostoevsky
-
DJohn St. John Long
John St. John Long
John St. John Long was an Irish scoundrel active in the 19th century. Faking medical expertise, Long claimed to have developed a cure for tuberculosis with secret chemicals, one of which was to be used as an ointment on the back and chest, the other as a vapor to inhale. Banking on his charm and good looks, Long was called the “Handsome Hoaxer of Harley Street," and though put on trial for killing patients, he paid small fines and was acquitted of murder charges.
Question 34
Known in the Caribbean as "Sir Allen," who is this Ponzi giant who bilked investors out of $7 billion?
-
AAllen Stanford
-
BWoody Allen
-
CTim Allen
-
DAllen Iverson
Allen Stanford
Texas mogul Allen Stanford – or "Sir Allen" as he was called in Antigua, due to his philanthropy – ran away with $7 billion from tens of thousands of investors, after promising impossible returns and inventing fraudulent financial statements to corroborate investor earnings. Stanford was sentenced to 110 years behind bars and a lifestyle quite different to the luxury Caribbean mansion and yachts he'd previously indulged in.
Question 35
This "Wolf of Wall Street" ran a boiler room to manipulate investors into a penny-stock scam. Name that con man.
-
AWilliam Abrams
-
BJohann Baptist Placht
-
CSimon Garfunkel
-
DJordan Belfort
Jordan Belfort
Another con man played by Leonardo DiCaprio, this stock market manipulator went to prison after defrauding investors with his "pump and dump" stock sales. <i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i> illustrates the lavish lifestyle Belfort led while on top of the world. And after serving only 22 months for bilking investors of $110 million, he now gets paid five figures as a motivational speaker...sigh.
Question 36
Known as "The Butcher," what Russian killer murdered dozens over more than a decade?
-
AIgor Chernat
-
BVasily Filippenko
-
CGhostface
-
DAndrei Chikatilo
Andrei Chikatilo
"When I used my knife, it brought psychological relief. I know I have to be destroyed. I was a mistake of nature." – These are the words of Andrei "The Butcher" Chikatilo, a Russian murderer who was convicted of killing 53 victims between 1978 and 1990. He was put to death by firing squad in 1994.
Question 37
Founded by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in New York, what cult was accused of child abuse?
-
ABlue Man Group
-
BHare Krishna
-
CPeoples' Temple
-
DUnification Church
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna was founded in New York by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966. Although the movement as a whole isn't necessarily labeled as a cult, the counterculture of hippies in devotee communes worshipped their leaders as cult-like figures, with one particular commune in New Vrindaban turning the house they'd built for their founder into a memorial palace dedicated to him after he'd passed. As the movement spread to India over the next two decades, the ISKCON's boarding schools were accused of widespread child abuse, including beatings, denial of medical care, and sexual assault.
Question 38
What did Santeria cult leader, Adolfo Constanzo, blend with Roman Catholicism to "disappear" people?
-
AVanishing charm
-
BHappy thoughts
-
CBlack magic
-
DVoodoo
Voodoo
Adolfo Constanzo’s Santeria Cult combined Voodoo with Roman Catholicism, the beliefs perhaps handed down to him from his mother and grandmother, who were thought to be priestesses. Constanzo embraced the occult, training under a Santeria sorcerer, and aligning himself with Mexican drug lords and crime syndicates, in order to extort them out of thousands by performing Santeria rituals in their favor. Worshiped as a god by his followers, Constanzo began "disappearing" people in drug cartels who wouldn't give him the dollar figure he asked for.
Question 39
This music mogul who gave the world Backstreet Boys and 'NSYNC also swindled investors into funding a fake airline. Name that defrauder.
-
AClive Davis
-
BLou Pearlman
-
CBrian Epstein
-
DFrank Sinatra
Lou Pearlman
Music mogul Lou Pearlman – who helped form Backstreet Boys, 'NSYNC, and O-Town – proved that music does indeed make the people come together...to sue Pearlman for misrepresentation. Most of these acts ended up taking Pearlman to court for both that and fraud. Also uncovered was Pearlman's Ponzi scheme, for which he created an airline and service company out of thin air, bilking $300 million from investors. He fled to Indonesia but was later caught and convicted of money laundering and conspiracy, earning 25 years behind bars.
Question 40
This murderer's sins caught up with him in 2018 when advancements in genealogy and DNA identified him as the "Golden State Killer". Name that evasive murderer.
-
AJoseph James DeAngelo
-
BRed John
-
CJerry Walter McFadden
-
DHenry Lee Moore
Joseph James DeAngelo
This one is fresh off the presses. Known as "The Golden State Killer" or the "East Area Rapist," this serial killer's M.O. involved burglarizing and taunting his victims, for which there may be 100s of burglaries, over 50 rapes, and 13 murders at minimum. In 2018, advances in DNA evidence and genealogy put Joseph James DeAngelo on investigators' radar. He was arrested and charged with the crime sprees, including eight counts of first-degree murder. Court records indicate that DeAngelo is willing to plead guilty for a life sentence.
Question 41
What cult, led by Keith Raniere, made headlines when a Smallville actress was charged for recruiting members?
-
ADKNY
-
BXOXO
-
CNXIVM
-
DXYZ
NXIVM
The cult known as NXIVM came to light in 2018, when its leader and an associate, Allison Mack, who just so happened to be an actress on the TV series, <i>Smallville</i>, were arrested. The so-called self-help organization proved to be a cult of forced sexual slavery in the guise of a "secret sisterhood," with women who were initiated as part of leader Keith Raniere's "Vanguard" being branded with a symbol on their hip.
Question 42
Creating the practice of "dynamic meditation," what Indian cult leader incited a mass salmonella poisoning in Oregon?
-
AWilliam Clay Ford, Jr.
-
BBhagwan Shree Rajneesh
-
CMahatma Gandhi
-
DMaharishi Mahesh Yogi
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
Also going by the name of Osho, Indian cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh launched the spiritual practice called dynamic meditation. Due to the controversy he caused in India, he formed an Oregon commune called Rancho Rajneesh in the '80s. The locals and the commune were butting heads, when Rajneesh led his members in a crime spree that involved a bioterrorism attack, deliberately contaminating salad bars with salmonella. That, on top of an assassination plot to kill U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, ended in Rajneesh's deportation.
Question 43
The papers read, "Brooklyn Bridge's Seller sent to Sing Sing for Life." Which con man sold the Brooklyn Bridge...twice?
-
AJames Cagney
-
BIoan Stoica
-
CGeorge C. Parker
-
DRon Rewald
George C. Parker
This 20th-century swindler could have been Lustig's little brother. Instead of selling Parisian landmarks, Parker sold those in New York City. Not only did he sell the Brooklyn Bridge twice, but he "sold" the Statue of Liberty and Madison Square Garden, and his targets were usually gullible immigrants. He also attempted to sell President Ulysses S. Grant's tomb by posing as his grandson.
Question 44
Nursing his victims to their graves, this killer targeted elderly patients. Name that "Angel of Death".
-
ASean Vincent Gillis
-
BCharles Edmund Cullen
-
CWilliam Clyde Gibson
-
DArthur Mitchell
Charles Edmund Cullen
As "The Angel Of Death," Charles Edmund Cullen worked as a nurse in a number of hospitals from 1984 to 2003 but kept getting punted out for suspicious behavior. As it turns out, those in charge had reason to be suspicious. Cullen is believed to have killed up to 300 victims, though he only confessed to murdering 40 by poisoning them with unprescribed medicine.
Question 45
The way this California highwayman left his victims earned him the name "The Trashbag Killer". Name that criminal.
-
APatrick Wayne Kearney
-
BWilliam Henry Hance
-
CMatthew Steven Johnson
-
DJoe Goldberg
Patrick Wayne Kearney
"The Trash Bag Killer" was trash. From '75 to '77, Patrick Wayne Kearney killed 32 and left their bodies in trash bags on California highways. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Question 46
Don't be fooled by this dude's dashing looks. What "Casanova Killer" claimed to have killed 35 people?
-
AFilipe Espinosa
-
BPaul John Knowles
-
CJohn Doe
-
DDonald Leroy Evans
Paul John Knowles
This man's good looks probably had a lot to do with his allure. Known as "the Casanova Killer," Paul John Knowles was active for only five months between July and November 1974 and, in that time, he murdered dozens. He was caught after killing a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and shot dead a month later when he tried to escape captivity by grabbing an officer's gun.
Question 47
Which scammer sold Mona Lisa forgeries after art thieving the real painting?
-
AJean Pierre Van Rossem
-
BDona Branca
-
CEduardo de Valfierno
-
DRoman Polanski
Eduardo de Valfierno
If you found a back alley deal on the <i>Mona Lisa</i> after it was reported missing, would you take it? That's what swindler Eduardo de Valfierno convinced buyers to do by commissioning forgeries by French artist Yves Chaudron, before bribing museum employee Vincenzo Peruggia to steal the famous canvas from the Louvre in 1911. And he probably would have gotten away with it too, if Peruggia hadn't attempted to sell the real thing to Florence's Uffizi Gallery in 1932.
Question 48
Known as "The Great Imposter," which conman moonlit as a zoologist, civil engineer, and a Trappist monk?
-
AA.J. Obie
-
BFerdinand Demara
-
CWinston Churchill
-
DWilliam "520 Percent" Miller
Ferdinand Demara
"The Great Imposter," Ferdinand Demara, stole identities, impersonating everyone from a civil engineer to a prison warden, to a zoologist, to a Trappist monk. According to some, fame brought his downfall, when he saved wounded soldiers while posing as a doctor during the Korean War. Rookie mistake: gotta keep it low-profile when you're impostering.
Question 49
An apocalyptic cult called "Order of the Solar Temple" was led by what dooms-dayers?
-
AMarshall Applewhite and Luc Jouret
-
BIndiana Jones and Sallah
-
CJoseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret
-
DDavid Koresh and Shoko Asahara
Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret
Blending astrology with Christianity and New Age philosophy, Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret founded the Order of the Solar Temple in Europe. Planning for the end of the world, the founders and 51 members committed mass suicide and/or murder in 1994. The very next year, 21 more members followed.
Question 50
What notorious Russian murderer earned the name, "Chessboard Killer," because he aimed to kill 64 people - one for each square on a chessboard?
-
AAlexander Pichushkin
-
BAlexander Pushkin
-
CVlad the Impaler
-
DAndrey Romanovich Chikatilo
Alexander Pichushkin
Alexander Pichushkin – aka, the "Chessboard Killer" – marked off chessboard squares after each murder and is believed to have killed between 49 and 60 victims, often luring them to his home with promises of vodka. His last murder occurred in 2006, and he is currently serving life.
Question 51
Sulphuric acid played a part in which "Acid Bath Murderer's" M.O.?
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ADavid Edward Maust
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BLee Roy Martin
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CJason Voorhees
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DJohn George Haigh
John George Haigh
Operating in the '40s in the U.K., John George Haigh was a conman who charmed his way into the pockets of the wealthy, whom he then murdered. The "Acid Bath Murderer" would get rid of the evidence with sulphuric acid, before stealing his victims' life savings and possessions. He was hanged in 1949.
Question 52
How was the term "con man" coined? Ask this NYC street swindler, who was first known as "The Confidence Man".
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ADavid Blaine
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BWilliam Thompson
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CSoapy Smith
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DGeorge Parker
William Thompson
Ever wondered where the term "con man" came from? You'll find the answer in William Thompson. This seeming gentleman would approach well-to-do New Yorkers and charm the pants off of them by pretending to be an old acquaintance. He'd then manage to get their watches off of them or a money loan. He'd then leave them in the dust none the wiser. William Thompson's story is said to have led to the term "confidence man".
Question 53
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is loosely based on what cult, run by assassins known as the Thuggee?
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ACult of Kaleesi
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BCult of Doom
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CKult of Cali
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DCult of Fashion
Kult of Cali
The Hindu Cult of Kali served as inspiration for <i>Temple of Doom</i>, as the Hindu goddess of Kali required human sacrifice from her worshippers. Based on the Thuggee, a cult of assassins who strangled their victims with yellow scarves, not a single drop of blood was to be wasted. During their 450-year reign of terror, the Thuggee are believed to be responsible for some two million murders.
Question 54
Which self-proclaimed "Rattlesnake King" is the original snake oil salesman?
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AClark Stanley
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BJoe Snake
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CJoseph Smith
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DJacob Young
Clark Stanley
If you're looking for the original "snake oil" salesman, then look no further than Clark Stanley. Snake oil is actually a thing; and it actually works...if it's real. Chinese railroad workers once used oil from the Chinese water snake as medicine to treat bursitis and arthritis. Its Omega-3 fatty acids had effective healing powers. But when some oily American salesmen attempted to capitalize on this, phony medicines were made in lieu of the real stuff. The "Rattlesnake King," for instance, would demonstrate his tactics by splitting open a rattlesnake and boiling it. In the end, his all-in-one cure was mainly mineral oil.
Question 55
What early Muslim Order killed sultans, kings, advisors, and the like?
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AThe Hashashin
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BThe Jihadi
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CThe Moors
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DThe Taliban
The Hashashin
When Marco Polo learned about the guerilla cult of Muslim assassins, he interpreted the name of the group as relating to hashish (marijuana), so he called them the "Hashishin". This name stuck. Forming as a result of the First Crusade, the splinter order of Shi'a Muslims practiced self-sacrifice in order to kill their targets, with its imam founder, Hassan-i Sabbah, remarking, "the killing of this devil is the beginning of bliss."
Question 56
Which female con claimed to be the long lost Anastasia Romanov?
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AAnna Anderson
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BSarah Howe
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CAnna Kournikova
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DAdele Spitzeder
Anna Anderson
Some say Anastasia Romanov went missing when Czar Nicholas II and his family were executed by Russian revolutionaries in 1918. If she did escape, that means the heir to the Romanov line was hidden away somewhere. Perhaps, then, Anna Anderson could truly be Anastasia. According to Anderson, she was whisked away to Romania on the night of the execution. Her telltale story was accepted by prominent folk in her time, but in 1984, DNA testing proved she was a con artist after all.
Question 57
Which British swindler posed as a nobleman to extort large sums of money?
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ALord James Hogue
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BLord Byron
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CLord Don Lapre
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DLord Gordon Gordon
Lord Gordon Gordon
Lord Gordon Gordon sounds like a made-up name, so it's a great wonder that this con man got away with posing as a British nobleman for as long as he did. He extracted large sums of money from those he duped in America, including the land commissioner for the Northern Pacific Railway, as well as one of the richest businessmen of the age, Jay Gould, before fleeing to Canada.
Question 58
Which "king of con men" invented a fake country for his victims to invest in?
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AAdriaan Nieuwoudt
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BSean Connery
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CJ. David Dominelli
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DGreg McGregor
Greg McGregor
We've seen some wild ones so far, but imagine having the gall to invent your own country. That's exactly what Scottish con man, Gregor MacGregor (whose real name even sounds fake), did in the early 1820s. The country was called Poyais, a paradise in the Caribbean, a plot of land you'd be stupid not to invest in. A guidebook at the time called the faux nation “one of the most healthy and beautiful spots in the world.” But little did investors know, that "healthy, beautiful spot" was a complete fairy tale told by the country's so-called "Cazique" (prince), MacGregor.
Question 59
"C'est la vie..." Which con man sold the Eiffel Tower...twice?
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AVictor Lustig
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BEmmanuel Macron
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CJean Pierre Van Rossem
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DIvar Kreuger
Victor Lustig
Eiffel Tower for sale! Con artist Victor Lustig must have been super smooth to have duped folks into thinking they could buy the landmark. He started his swindling career in the 1920s by pretending to be a Broadway producer and persuading people to invest in made-up productions. But the Eiffel Tower con became his most notorious caper. He conned metal scrap iron dealers into submitting bids for the Eiffel Tower, claiming the government intended to tear it down. Shockingly, after Lustig fled with his money, his mark didn't report the ruse to the police, likely out of embarrassment, which allowed the con man to return not a half a year later and sell the Eiffel Tower a second time.
Question 60
"Take the Parliament House of India, and I'll throw in its sitting members." This Indian con man not only tried to sell the House, but also the Taj Mahal.
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ANatwarlal
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BMahatma Gandhi
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CA.R. Rahman
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DSalman Khan
Natwarlal
You've got one con trying to sell you the Eiffel Tower, another the Brooklyn Bridge, and then this guy throws in with the Taj Mahal. In India, Natwarlal is a legendary con artist. Wetting his beak in check forgery and regular panhandling theft, his ambitions grew when he sold India's Parliament House of India + its sitting members and, later, the Taj. To add insult to injury, he also managed to escape arrest nine times.
Question 61
Which NY swindler set fixed matches of the parlor game bunco, targeting high profile peeps, like Oscar Wilde?
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ARobert Hendy-Freegard
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BJoseph Weil
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CHungry Joe
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DWild Bill Hickok
Hungry Joe
Hungry Joe – aka, Joseph Lewis – worked the NYC bunco scene in the late 19th century, fixing matches and conning thousands out of high profile targets. Known as the “king of the Bunco Men," Hungry Joe went after generals, judges, politicians, even the son of President John Quincy Adams.
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