Charlatans: How Grifters, Swindlers and Hucksters Bamboozle the Media, the Markets and the Masses

Journalists Moisés (The Revenge of Power) and Toro deliver a sharp and disturbing exploration of large-scale deception in this well-researched survey of snake-oil salesmen, Ponzi schemers, and the systems that enable them. From Charles Ponzi’s 20th-century investment scheme to modern-day crypto collapses at Celsius and FTX, the authors trace how fraud has evolved in the digital age. With crisp storytelling and biting analysis, they delve into the workings of televangelists, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Trump University, contending that each exploit people’s desire to achieve their dreams of greatness. “We must remember that our dreams double as vulnerabilities,” the authors warn, “and exploiting those vulnerabilities is what charlatans specialize in.” The internet, Naím and Toro suggest, has only boosted the spread of fraud, allowing QAnon conspiracy theorists, shady wellness influencers, and others to find marks with unprecedented ease. Urgent and unsettling, this provocative blend of true crime and social critique will leave readers questioning what, and whom, they trust. (Oct.)