Top 10 Most Infamous Lies in History

VOICE OVER: Peter DeGiglio
WRITTEN BY: Joshua Garvin

From political deceptions to corporate cover-ups, history is riddled with lies that shaped our world. Join us as we explore the most consequential falsehoods ever told, from wartime propaganda to financial schemes that devastated millions. These aren't just fibs—they're calculated deceptions that changed nations, sparked conflicts, and eroded public trust. Our countdown includes Bush's weapons of mass destruction claims, Stalin's denial of the Ukrainian famine, Hitler's broken Munich Agreement, Big Tobacco's decades of health deception, Watergate's presidential cover-up, and Bernie Madoff's massive financial fraud. Which historical lie do you think had the most devastating impact? Let us know in the comments below!

  • #10: WMD (2002-03)
  • #9: Bernie Madoff's Ponzi Scheme (2008)
  • #8: LBJ & Vietnam (1964)
  • #7: Stalin: "There Is No Famine" (1932-34)
  • #6: The Tobacco Industry on Cigarettes (1964-98)
  • #5: Watergate (1972)
  • #4: The Donation of Constantine (8th Century)
  • #3: The Protocols of the Elders of Zion (1903-)
  • #2: The Commentarii de Bello Gallico (58-49 BCE)
  • #1: The Munich Agreement (1938)

Have an idea you want to see made into a WatchMojo video? Check out our suggest page and submit your idea.

Step up your quiz game by answering fun trivia questions! Love games with friends? Challenge friends and family in our leaderboard! Play Now!

Tags:

historical lies, propaganda, deception, weapons of mass destruction, Bernie Madoff, Ponzi scheme, Vietnam War, Lyndon Johnson, Stalin famine, Holodomor, tobacco industry, cigarette health effects, Watergate scandal, Nixon, Donation of Constantine, Protocols of Elders of Zion, antisemitism, Julius Caesar, Gaul conquest, Hitler, Munich Agreement, political deception,