Some of the Biggest Liars in History
Most of us have told a white lie – those harmless lies that are told in order to be tactful or polite. For example, when your mother-in-law buys you a truly hideous jumper for Christmas, the best thing is to smile and say, “It’s lovely!” And everyone knows that the answer to the question, “Do these trousers make me look fat?” is “No, of course not”– whether it’s true or not.
But those are white lies. Little lies. Very different from big lies, which can take over the lives of the people who tell them, and very often have a serious effect on other people as well. The problem with big lies is that they’re much more difficult to keep up. In the end, “the truth will come out”, as the phrase goes. And when that happens, the liar will have to pay the price. And sometimes, the price can be very high indeed.

Bernard Madoff an American former stock broker
Take Bernard Madoff for example. His “big lie” has earned him a 150-year jail sentence, the maximum sentence in the United States. Considered by many to be the biggest fraudster of all time, Madoff operated a Ponzi scheme that finally cost investors $18 billion. Of course these schemes always fail in the end, because when there are no real profits, the money will run out sooner or later. Madoff’s scam was exposed by the economic slump of 2008, and now he’s got plenty of time to reflect on the dangers of telling people “big lies”.
But despite the risks, some people can’t resist telling lies. And in many cases, greed is the motive. That was certainly the case with John and Anne Darwin, who told one of the most outrageous lies of recent times and nearly got away with it. John Darwin was apparently killed in a tragic canoeing accident off the coast of Hartlepool in North England. An extensive search found the wreckage of his canoe but no John; and Anne Darwin’s tears convinced everyone – including their own children – that she was a grieving widow. When Anne Darwin collected a life insurance payment of £150,000, most people felt it was the least she deserved.

But when John Darwin turned up five years later, claiming amnesia and was joyfully reunited with his wife, suspicions were raised. The couple’s “big lie” finally came unstuck when a picture of them together in Panama in 2006 was discovered. It turned out that John Darwin had been hiding in their house the whole time.
The Darwins were intending to use the insurance pay-off to buy a hotel in Panama. Ironically enough, they wanted to organise canoeing holidays! When Anne Darwin was finally charged in 2007, she reportedly said, “My sons will never forgive me.” If those were her actual words, they were probably the truest ones she’d uttered in years.
GLOSSARY
hideous adj terrible/horrible
to take over phr vb att dominera
to keep up phr vb if you “keep up” a lie, you continue acting as if that lie is true
to come out phr vb sanningen kommer ut
a Ponzi scheme n ett sorts bedrägeri som tillåter att man använder pengarna från nya investerare till att betala gamla investerare.
a scam n a trick to make money dishonestly
the economic slump n a period of poor economic activity
greed n the desire for more and more of something
to get away with something exp to do something bad and not get caught
canoeing n a sport that involves travelling in a small narrow boat by using a paddle (a short pole with a wide flat part at the end)
a tear n an amount of liquid that comes out of your eyes when you're crying
grieving adj someone who is “grieving” is in a state of sadness because of a recent death a widow n a woman whose husband has died
to turn up phr vb to appear
to forgive vb if you “forgive” someone, you stop being angry with them
to utter vb if you “utter” something, you say it
Read the article once. What two examples of big lies does the writer give?
Read the article again and answer the questions.
4
What two examples of white lies does the writer give?
How much did Madoff’s scam cost investors?
How long has Madoff got to reflect on his big lie?
What did people initially think had happened to John Darwin?
What excuse did John Darwin give when he finally turned up?
What did the Darwins plan to do with the money?
