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"America’s Great Impostor: The Ferdinand Demara Story"
Episode 329th April 2025 • Heists, Hustles, and Homicide • Steven W
00:00:00 00:12:22

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He wasn’t a doctor—but he performed surgery. He wasn’t a monk—but he preached. He wasn’t a prison warden—but he ran a facility. In this episode of The Great Impostor, we unravel the unbelievable true story of Ferdinand Waldo Demara, a man who lived dozens of lives—none of them his own. With charm, nerve, and a forged document or two, Demara fooled institutions, governments, and even the military. How did he get away with it? And what does his story say about identity, trust, and the human desire to be somebody?

Join us as we dive into the life of a man who made deception into an art form—and became a legend in the world of cons.

In This Episode:

How Demara impersonated a Royal Canadian Navy surgeon and saved lives

The audacity of his prison warden and college professor scams

The psychology behind his confidence and ability to deceive

Why his story still fascinates decades later

Subscribe, rate, and follow The Great Impostor for more mind-bending tales of deception.

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