In 1980 a BBC radio channel reported that Big Ben would be converted into a digital clock and offered its old clock hands to the first listeners to call in. This turned out to be an April Fool’s joke that upset many listeners.

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8 of History’s Most Famous Charlatans, Con Artists, and Tricksters

From alchemists to false princesses, sorcerers to political imposters, tricksters have played an eminent role in history. The outlandish schemes of these wily characters have never failed to attract public attention. Here are eight charlatans, con artists, and other tricksters who left legacies of