True Crime Campfire - Introducing: Persona: The French Deception

Episode Date: June 6, 2022

Introducing the true crime podcast Persona: The French Deception— the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. What does it feel like to pick up the phone and scam someone out of $50 million? Host and award-winning journalist, Evan Ratliff, investigates how Chikli successfully duped some of the world’s most powerful people into handing over their fortunes. He explores how Chikli evaded the law for years and became a Robin Hood-like hero. More than just a tale of criminal genius, this is a show about the moment we’re living in right now — the golden age of scammers — and the power of seduction. But what happens when the fantasy we’ve been lured into finally crumbles away? For all that and more, follow “Persona: The French Deception” wherever you get your podcasts. Or you can listen early on Amazon Music or early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app: wondery.fm/TCC_PersonaBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

Hey, campers, Katie here from True Crime Campfire. It feels like scams and scam stories are really having a moment. There are so many shows and movies lately about these crazy con artists, and honestly, y'all know we can't get enough of them. Speaking of, there is a new podcast we want to tell you about, called Persona, the French Deception. This is the true story of Giber Chicli, one of the greatest con artists of all time.

Have you ever wondered, what it would be like to pick up the phone, call someone, and end the phone call, $50 million richer? This series investigates how Shikli successfully duped some of the world's most powerful people into simply handing over their fortunes. It explores how he evaded the law for years and evolved into a Robin Hood-like hero to many. More than just a tale of criminal genius, this is a show about the moment we're living in right now, the golden age of scammers. and the power of seduction. But what happens when the fantasy we've been lured into

finally crumbles away? Listen to find out. In fact, we're about to play you a preview of Persona, the French Deception. While you're listening, follow Persona, the French Deception, wherever you get your podcasts. Or you can listen early on Amazon Music, or early and add free by subscribing to Wondry Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.

There's this word in French that means scam, arnaq. A scammer or a con artist is sometimes called an arnaker. An original definition translates roughly as one who amuses in order to defraud. It's a good way to think about scams, I find, or at least the most inspired ones. The problem, the bank saying me... I'm not talking about street-level swindles. I'm talking about the most elaborate confidence schemes. Cons that earn thousands or millions of dollars.

Tens of millions, even. Yes. Yes. The $54 million. Yes. That kind of scam is rarely a single event in time, like a theft or a robbery. No, a truly great con is a story. As you know, I'm sending you $45 million. It's a fairy tale, one that taps into the listener's greed or loneliness or vanity or charity.

To run this kind of scam, you have to be more than just clever or persuasive. You have to invent a whole imaginary world and then put your mark inside it. Make them a part of it so that they're adopting a new persona, just as you are. That's the art part of being a con artist, an anarcher, to amuse in order to defraud. If you can do that, if you can make a story so enticing that the listener lives inside of it and doesn't want to leave, you don't even have to steal the money. They'll just give it to you. It was a fairy tale, but it was real.

I'm Evan Ratliff, and this is the story of Joubert Shikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. The way he convinced to give him money, he's a genius. A man who started out as a two-bit scammer, but whose ambitions kept growing. A new email scam known as CEO fraud, and the FBI says it's on the rise. As he chased richer targets, with more brazen schemes. He said I'm Gilbert, and you open a bag, and there was two million euro inside. I mean, he can convince you to do and to think everything he wants. Going after giant corporations, American Express, Adidas, Euro-Disney, and taking tens of millions

from some of the richest people on the planet. It was all a game until it wasn't. Oh, yes. He was scammed, and I was so happy that somebody scammed the scamster himself. He'd become a fugitive, a legend, even a hero. To some, a modern-day Robinhood. You know what is the nickname of the Gillesivarchikli? The professor. A lot of people try to do what he did. But Gilles Gilles Gilles is a professor. He's the professor. From Wondery, Pineapple Street Studios and Amazon Music, this is Persona. the French Deception. Follow Persona, the French Deception, wherever you get your podcasts,

or listen early on Amazon music, or early and ad-free on Wondry Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondry app.