How Frederic Bourdin Can Deceive The Family? The Shocking Way You Don’t Know
13 years old boy Nicholas Barclay disappeared at the age of 13 and his family was distraught, so they were understandably elated when a man arrived years later saying he was their son - but his account soon unraveled.
A conman pretended to be a family's missing son and tricked his whole family - who ignored his change in eye color and accent. Nicholas Barclay was just 13 years old when he disappeared and his family was distraught when no trace of him could be found.
They were understandably elated when a man turned up on their doorstep claiming to be Nicholas - and they turned a blind eye to a few glaring differences. But it turns out the man was a fraudster and was really a Frenchman named Frederic Bourdin - and he wasn't 16, but 23. How can this happen? Now, his story is being shown on Netflix, in a jaw-dropping documentary called The Imposter.
The family, especially his sister, seemed unconcerned that Nicholas now had blue eyes, not brown as before, his ears had changed shape and he had a French accent. It took a private investigator to unearth the truth – the new Nicholas was Frederic Bourdin who had never set foot on US soil before.
And when the real identity of the man who would later be called The Chameleon was revealed, the truth about his life seemed even more incredible than the story he had invented. Bourdin had spent years pretending to be orphans across Europe.
From the age of 16 he conned himself into foster homes, orphanages, schools and kids' hospitals, each time using a different name and an elaborate sob story. In 1991 when he was 20, Bourdin stayed at a Glasgow care home for two months after convincing staff he was 14 and had been sold to Irish child abusers.
He became such an expert that when he pretended to be 14 in 2004, a doctor who examined him at the request of authorities in the French city of Grenoble concluded he was indeed a teenager – even though he was 30. His most recent deception was a year later when he successfully pretended to be a 15-year-old Spanish orphan to get into a French boarding school.
Related: The Imposter: Where Is The Missing Boy Now? 5 Facts About Nicholas Barclay That You Don’t Know
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A conman pretended to be a family's missing son and tricked his whole family - who ignored his change in eye color and accent. Nicholas Barclay was just 13 years old when he disappeared and his family was distraught when no trace of him could be found.
They were understandably elated when a man turned up on their doorstep claiming to be Nicholas - and they turned a blind eye to a few glaring differences. But it turns out the man was a fraudster and was really a Frenchman named Frederic Bourdin - and he wasn't 16, but 23. How can this happen? Now, his story is being shown on Netflix, in a jaw-dropping documentary called The Imposter.
1. The family's reaction when hearing the news
Source: The Mirror
For mum Beverly, it was like a miracle, and she showered the man she thought was her son with affection after he was flown home.The family, especially his sister, seemed unconcerned that Nicholas now had blue eyes, not brown as before, his ears had changed shape and he had a French accent. It took a private investigator to unearth the truth – the new Nicholas was Frederic Bourdin who had never set foot on US soil before.
Source: The Mirror
The amazing story was made into a British documentary called The Imposter, explaining how for five months Bourdin convinced family and friends that he really was Nicholas, and it's now been added to Netflix.2. How can Frederic Bourdin trick the family and police?
Source: Factinate
The conman kept up the deception in 1997 by dyeing his brown hair blonde, going back to school, and using a pen to fake a tattoo on his hand.And when the real identity of the man who would later be called The Chameleon was revealed, the truth about his life seemed even more incredible than the story he had invented. Bourdin had spent years pretending to be orphans across Europe.
From the age of 16 he conned himself into foster homes, orphanages, schools and kids' hospitals, each time using a different name and an elaborate sob story. In 1991 when he was 20, Bourdin stayed at a Glasgow care home for two months after convincing staff he was 14 and had been sold to Irish child abusers.
Source: The Mirror
Over the years he is believed to have taken on more than 40 false identities, in at least 16 countries including England, Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Mostly he masqueraded as a destitute child, changing his appearance by using hair removal cream, altering his deep voice and adopting the walk and mannerisms of a teenager.He became such an expert that when he pretended to be 14 in 2004, a doctor who examined him at the request of authorities in the French city of Grenoble concluded he was indeed a teenager – even though he was 30. His most recent deception was a year later when he successfully pretended to be a 15-year-old Spanish orphan to get into a French boarding school.
Related: The Imposter: Where Is The Missing Boy Now? 5 Facts About Nicholas Barclay That You Don’t Know
Aubtu.biz is a website that provides you with new updates and creative ideas to brighten your day. Don’t hesitate to visit our site to know more about daily updated news.
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