Buzz
Everyone tells lies from time to time. Research indicates that, on average, individuals lie 1.65 times daily, and this is likely an underestimation. To put it another way, the survey participants may have lied about how often they lie!
However, some individuals elevate lying to an extreme, whether due to the magnitude of their deceit or their steadfast refusal to admit the truth, even when faced with irrefutable proof. Here are ten individuals who should have known better.
10. Hwang Woo-Suk
Hwang Woo-Suk, a South Korean stem cell researcher, was a brilliant scientist. After earning his doctorate in Seoul, he held professorial roles in both Japan and Korea. He contributed significantly to the cloning of sheep and pigs, and in 2005, he achieved the milestone of creating the first cloned dog, Snuppy, an Afghan hound.
In 2002, Hwang ventured into the controversial realm of human cloning, collaborating with obstetrician Moon Shin-Yong, an expert in in vitro fertilization. Just two years later, they made headlines by announcing the successful cloning of human embryos, with one embryo reportedly producing stem cells that could potentially treat diseases like Alzheimer's.
The research was a groundbreaking advancement in science. In May 2005, Hwang published a paper claiming the creation of 11 distinct stem cell lines from these embryos, sparking excitement in the medical community. However, as the year progressed, doubts began to emerge—first regarding the ethics of egg collection, then concerning the validity of Hwang's claims. One of his colleagues confessed that Hwang had falsified data, sending shockwaves through the scientific world. Despite the scandal, it was confirmed that Snuppy was indeed a real achievement.
In 2009, Hwang was found guilty of embezzling research funds and illegally acquiring human eggs, receiving a suspended sentence. He later worked briefly at an American laboratory that specialized in cloning deceased pets.
9. Rosie Ruiz
In 1980, Rosie Ruiz shocked everyone by winning the women’s race in the Boston Marathon. The surprise came not only because her time of 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 56 seconds was near-world record pace, but also because no one had ever heard of her before, and no one had seen her during the race.
Jacqueline Gareau, the second-place finisher, was taken aback when she was informed that someone had crossed the line two and a half minutes ahead of her. Suspicion grew when Ruiz, during post-race interviews, appeared unfamiliar with basic aspects of running. Despite this, Ruiz firmly stood by her claim to victory.
Two witnesses soon came forward, stating they had seen Ruiz emerge from the crowd and join the race just 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) before the finish line. Officials began to check with stewards to verify if anyone had seen Ruiz pass through earlier checkpoints, but no one could confirm it. By the next morning, the story of the suspicious win was everywhere. Journalists surrounded Ruiz’s hotel, demanding explanations, but Ruiz seemed unaware that her cover was blown. 'I ran the race. I really did,' she insisted. She suggested that perhaps the officials had mistaken her for a man due to her short hair, and claimed that a big breakfast had made her feel unusually energized, explaining her rapid time. She even offered to take a lie detector test.
After officials examined the race photos and found no trace of Ruiz before the 25th mile, she was stripped of her title, and Jacqueline Gareau was officially declared the winner. If Rosie had finished in fourth place, she might have gotten away with it.
8. Cassie Chadwick
Elizabeth Bigley was born on October 10, 1857, in Ontario. Her early life seemed fairly uneventful, and at the age of 14, she was arrested for opening a bank account and issuing fraudulent checks.
She later moved to the United States, where she briefly assumed the name Lydia DeVere, a clairvoyant. A short-lived marriage followed, and afterward, she attempted to run a brothel under the alias Cassie Hoover.
By the time she entered her third marriage, this one to Doctor Leroy Chadwick, her past was beginning to surface. Her husband, a wealthy man who mingled with millionaires like the Rockefellers, attempted to introduce her to high society, but the social elite avoided her at all costs.
To enhance her social standing, Chadwick started claiming to be the illegitimate daughter of the famous, wealthy industrial magnate Andrew Carnegie.
During a trip to New York, she asked a lawyer to accompany her to Carnegie’s mansion. While the lawyer waited outside, Chadwick managed to gain entry and spoke with the housekeeper. As she left, she “accidentally” dropped a promissory note bearing the signature of 'Carnegie.' The lawyer, jumping to the obvious conclusion, believed that Carnegie had just paid off Chadwick with $2 million in hush money. He promised to keep her secret and protect her ‘shame,’ a promise he promptly broke as soon as possible.
Things didn’t help when Chadwick told the lawyer she was set to inherit Carnegie’s $400 million fortune upon his death.
Chadwick quickly found credit lines opening to her everywhere, reportedly taking out loans totaling $20 million. Strangely, no one ever bothered to confirm her story with Carnegie himself. Despite this massive influx of money, she still managed to rack up $5 million in debts. Eventually, one of her creditors reached out to Carnegie, who had never heard of her.
The scale of her deception was so immense that she even managed to bankrupt an entire bank. When arrested, Chadwick was found wearing a money belt containing $100,000 in petty cash. She was later convicted of fraud and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
7. James W. Johnston
In 1994, tobacco executive James W. Johnston testified before Congress alongside other tobacco industry CEOs. He made the claim, 'Cigarette smoking is no more “addictive” than coffee, tea or Twinkies,' which seemed like quite an understatement at the time.
He continued, 'If cigarettes were addictive, could nearly 43 million Americans have quit smoking? […] I agree that for some people, cigarette smoking is habit-forming, just like other enjoyable activities such as watching TV, eating your favorite foods, sometimes overeating, and drinking coffee.'
Hmm. When the tobacco executives returned to Congress in 1998, James W. Johnston was no longer in charge. It appeared the new leadership had reluctantly started to acknowledge what everyone else had known for years—that smoking 'might play a role' in lung cancer and that, 'under certain definitions, cigarette smoking is addictive.'
This new honesty likely had something to do with the wave of lawsuits heading their way, as they urged Congress to help limit their liability in exchange for efforts to prevent smoking among children.
Good for them.
6. Marmaduke Wetherell
Marmaduke Wetherell was a renowned big-game hunter who, in 1933, was hired by the Daily Mail newspaper to search for the Loch Ness Monster. After several weeks of vigilant observation, he claimed to have found large footprints along the shore, which he described as belonging to 'a very powerful soft-footed animal about 20 feet long.'
However, the Daily Mail had the footprints examined by experts from the Natural History Museum, who determined that, rather than belonging to Nessie, the prints most likely came from a piece of furniture, such as an umbrella stand, which had a hippopotamus leg as its base.
It remains unclear whether Wetherell was the target of a practical joke by locals or if he was attempting to enhance his commission. What is certain, however, is that Wetherell became a subject of ridicule and retired in disgrace.
The following year, a distinguished English surgeon named Robert Kenneth Wilson captured a photograph of the creature, which was, ironically, published in the Daily Mail. The image, showing the monster’s small head and neck, led many to speculate that it resembled a plesiosaur, a marine reptile believed to have gone extinct 60 million years ago.
It wasn’t until 1994 that Wetherell’s stepson revealed the truth: Wetherell himself had crafted the monster’s head and attached it to a toy submarine, ensuring no nearby objects could be used for perspective. He then gave the photograph to his respectable friend, Dr. Wilson, knowing that his own reputation would be jeopardized.
Despite the lack of any concrete evidence supporting the existence of Nessie, exploration of Loch Ness continues to this day.
5. Titus Oates
Titus Oates, an Anglican priest, returned to England in 1678 after spending time in France and Spain. A staunch anti-Catholic, Oates began earning a living by uncovering and betraying Catholics to the government, even going so far as to infiltrate the Church undercover to spy on its members.
Oates fabricated a tale of a Jesuit plot to murder King Charles II and replace him with his Catholic brother. The story reached the ears of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey, who repeated it. When Godfrey was murdered shortly thereafter, the story gained traction.
A wave of panic spread through London, and Oates was hailed as a hero, warning of the impending threat. Even though the king found Oates' story unconvincing, he had 35 people executed, just in case there was some truth to it. But as is often the case with liars, Oates’ exaggerations caught up with him, and the story began to unravel. The king's brother sued him for libel and won.
After the natural death of King Charles II, his brother ascended to the throne. Oates was convicted of perjury, publicly humiliated, whipped, and imprisoned. However, in a twist of fate, when the new king was overthrown, Oates was released and even granted a pension.
4. Ryan Lochte
Sometimes, it's better to know when to keep quiet. After competing for the US at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Ryan Lochte and two other swimmers decided to stop at a gas station to use the bathroom. The restroom door was locked, and in his slightly intoxicated state, Lochte tried to force the door open, breaking it in the process. Some reports claim that the swimmers also urinated outside the restroom and that Lochte damaged a poster.
Rather than simply paying for the damage and leaving, Lochte was confronted by a security guard, who asked him to cover the cost of the broken door. After handing over some money, the swimmers hopped into a taxi and left. However, Lochte soon realized that his actions could look bad in the press.
To cover up the incident, Lochte fabricated a story, claiming that he and his friends had been mugged at gunpoint and had their wallets stolen. Unfortunately for him, security footage proved otherwise. While Lochte had already returned home by the time the story spread, his teammates were grounded and questioned. Eventually, Lochte admitted that he had 'exaggerated' the truth of what happened.
The Brazilian authorities ultimately agreed to drop all charges in exchange for charitable donations to children’s projects. Despite being banned from the sport for 10 months, Lochte was eventually allowed to resume his swimming career. However, his return was short-lived as he was banned again after posting photos of himself receiving intravenous fluids, which violated anti-doping regulations.
3. Stephen Glass
Stephen Glass was a journalist known for securing interviews that no one else could. Writing for prominent outlets like The New Republic and Rolling Stone, he earned a reputation for producing bold, captivating stories. The reason no one else could land those interviews, however, was because the people he 'interviewed' didn’t exist at all.
His elaborate web of lies began to unravel in 1998 when he published a piece about hackers. Despite presenting a mountain of supporting details, including websites, phone numbers, emails, and even a seating chart from a so-called hackers’ conference, it didn’t take long for Forbes journalists to uncover the truth — the entire story had been fabricated.
When doubts arose regarding the truth of his story, Glass even managed to convince his brother to pose as the head of a tech company that allegedly paid a hacker to avoid sabotaging its business. However, the truth came to light, and investigations revealed that most of the stories Glass had submitted were entirely or partially fabricated.
Glass was dismissed from his role at The New Republic and chose to pursue a completely new career.
As a lawyer.
2. Sepp Blatter
By the time Sepp Blatter was elected president of FIFA for the fifth time, allegations of bribery and corruption had followed him for years.
During his time in charge, FIFA made some highly questionable decisions, including granting the 2022 World Cup to Qatar—a country with no footballing tradition, a lack of stadiums, and a climate that could reach 49°C (120°F) during the event. Blatter defended this move as taking football to 'new lands,' and denied any connection between the decision and potential bribes to FIFA officials.
As the evidence of widespread corruption within FIFA grew, Blatter continued to deny any wrongdoing. He resigned in 2015 after the LA Times revealed documents showing that FIFA officials had received bribes amounting to $150 million. However, Blatter tried to make a comeback, delaying his departure and attempting to retract his resignation. In his own way, he apologized: 'I am sorry. I am sorry that I am still somewhere a punching ball. I am sorry that as President of FIFA I am a punching ball. I am sorry for football. I am sorry for the 400+ FIFA members. I’m sorry. I am sorry about how I am treated in this world of humanitarian qualities.'
Well, that apology certainly sounds heartfelt.
What Blatter never apologized for, however, were the large sums of money he received in 'fees,' 'bonuses,' and 'pay raises.' Although the exact amount is unknown, it is estimated that one deal alone earned him a substantial portion of £60 million during his 17-year tenure as FIFA president.
The consequences for him have been harsh. He’s been banned from participating in any football-related activities until 2022.
That should teach him a lesson.
1. Rafid Ahmed Alwan Al-Janabi
Some lies come with more serious repercussions than others. In 1999, Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi defected from Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, driven by a desire to help overthrow the regime if he could. His motivation is understandable.
When interrogated by intelligence officers, he went too far, claiming he knew about trucks transporting biological weapons and had helped set up the laboratories where they were produced. These allegations about the so-called “weapons of mass destruction” were used to justify the US and British invasion of Iraq. His testimony was the ‘solid intelligence’ Colin Powell referred to at the UN when justifying the decision to invade, despite the obvious flaws in his statements.
In the aftermath of the invasion, over 100,000 Iraqi civilians and soldiers, along with military personnel from the US, Canada, and various European nations, lost their lives in the conflict, despite the fact that no weapons of mass destruction were ever discovered. The true death toll may never be fully determined.
