20 Horrible People That Fooled the World

20 Horrible People That Fooled the World

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re exploring the infamous times people showcased respectable or well-meaning fronts to the public, only for their darker, more exploitative, and more terrible side to later emerge.

Hannah Ingram-Moore

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Captain Sir Tom Moore captured the hearts of the UK. With his 100th birthday nearing, he decided to do 100 laps of his garden to raise money for the NHS. Moore made over £30 million! During this time, his family, headed by daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, created the Captain Tom Foundation to raise money for charities specializing in supporting older people. However, it soon began to go wrong as Ingram-Moore was seemingly using its funds for her own endeavours. That included building a spa on her property and paying her own company for services for the Foundation. In 2023, on top of the spa having to be demolished for being unauthorised, the Charity Commission barred Ingram-Moore from being employed in non-profits.

Stephen Collins

Best known for playing Reverend Eric Camden in “7th Heaven,” away from the acting world, Collins also promoted Transcendental Meditation to help ease stress. As such, he seemed like a decent guy. But then, 2014 happened. A tape was leaked that was believed to be Collins talking about when he abused a minor in the past. The recording was reportedly made in 2012 during a therapy session with the actor and his estranged wife, Faye Grant. A couple of months later, Collins admitted to abusing three minors in 1973, 1982, and 1994. The police investigated the crimes. However, due to the statute of limitations passing, Collins was unable to be criminally charged for his admissions. Instead, he’s been blacklisted from Hollywood.

Allison Mack

Sometimes, it’s hard to separate the character from the actor. For example, Mack. When she was in “Smallville,” she was universally loved as the determined, loyal, and friendly Chloe Sullivan. Yet away from that role, Mack lived a very different life. In 2006, she joined NXIVM, a group co-founded by Keith Raniere. Mack worked her way up, becoming one of its prominent members. However, in 2017, DOS, the secret group within NXIVM, became public knowledge. The cult would play on empowerment yet use women for Raniere’s gratification. The recruits were abused and blackmailed to keep quiet. Mack was heavily involved in the process. In 2021, after pleading guilty to several charges, she was sentenced to three years in prison and was released in 2023.

Charles Dickens

Considered one of the greatest novelists ever, Dickens became famous in his work for his social criticism, especially when it came to the plight of the impoverished in Victorian England. While his writings faced criticism for using racial stereotypes in recent years, it’s his personal life that's added to his nastier side. After marrying Catherine Hogarth in 1836, Dickens met 18-year-old Ellen Ternan when he was 45 in 1857. While the duo destroyed their letters, it’s believed they had an affair, leading to Dickens separating from Hogarth in 1858. In 2019, it was reported that letters were found that showed Dickens had tried – and thankfully failed – to get Hogarth sent to an asylum. At the time, these facilities weren’t always treating people ethically.

Hans Asperger

Due to his work on autism in the 1940s, this Austrian doctor was honored by having Asperger syndrome named after him. The diagnosis has since been merged into autism spectrum disorder. However, in 2018, evidence emerged that suggested Asperger was not the ethical pioneer everyone believed him to be. As a medical expert involved with Germany’s Wehrmacht, he often gave harsh diagnoses to children, some of whom he sent to Am Spiegelgrund, near where he worked in Vienna. This infamous facility was used to undergo euthanasia, where hundreds lost their lives. On top of this, Asperger was involved in Germany’s eugenics program, implementing forced sterilization towards patients not seen favorably by the authorities.

Roald Dahl

Born to Norwegian parents in Wales, Dahl soon became one of the greatest children’s authors on the planet with whimsical tales, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Matilda.” Yet with that incredible legacy, there was another, less pleasant side to Dahl. In the later part of his life, the writer was interviewed several times, becoming more and more problematic. What began as criticism of Israel soon morphed into antisemitism, with Dahl essentially admitting to being antisemitic as he delved into conspiracy theories such as Jewish people controlling the media. In 2020, Dahl’s family publicly apologized for what he'd said. This contributed to publishers' controversial plans to edit his work in new editions, removing harsher language, which was later rescinded.

Christopher Lee Watts

In 2018, after a friend realized that pregnant Shanann Watts had missed her obstetrics and gynecology appointment and wasn’t home with their two children in Frederick, Colorado, she contacted Shanann's husband, Christopher, who was at work. The police soon investigated to find the missing trio, as Christopher did news interviews pleading for their return. However, the concerned family man was all an act. The investigation found that Christopher, who was allegedly having an affair, had murdered his wife and children, which he later confessed to. After accepting a plea deal to avoid execution, Christopher was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Thomas Jefferson

As a Founding Father and the third President of the US, Jefferson is a vital component in American history. Yet while he and other Founding Fathers have a perception of standing up for what’s right, Jefferson’s personal life didn’t follow that. Following in his family’s footsteps, he owned a plantation that featured 600 slaves throughout his lifetime, one of whom was Sally Hemings, whose father was Jefferson’s father-in-law. After his wife, Martha, passed away in 1782, five years later, Jefferson took the young Hemings to Paris, France. There, he fathered a child with her and continued back at the Virginia plantation, which modern DNA evidence supports. Hemmings, even after Jefferson’s death, was never officially freed.

Jared Fogle

After rising to fame for losing 245 pounds through a diet featuring Subway products, Fogle was soon hired by the company as a spokesperson, regularly talking about the health benefits and his experience. This was a massive success for Subway as its revenue tripled from 1998-2011. He even created his own non-profit, the Jared Foundation, to raise awareness about childhood obesity. However, all that goodwill fell apart in 2015. After eight years of being on the FBI’s radar, Fogle’s house was raided, where they found explicit child material. It got worse when text messages from Fogle admitting to the crimes were discovered. As part of a plea deal, the former face of Subway pleaded guilty and was sentenced to fifteen years and eight months in prison.

Rolf Harris

A painter, a musician, an actor, and a presenter, Harris could do it all. Born in Australia, the entertainer established his name in the UK and dominated television for decades, even painting a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. In addition to promoting animal welfare through his hosting of “Animal Hospital,” he also fronted the 1985 educational film “Kids Can Say No!,” where he advised children on how to avoid situations of abuse. In the fallout of Jimmy Savile, Harris was found to have abused minors and teenagers and possessed explicit material. In 2014, after being found guilty on twelve counts, Harris was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison. He was released in 2017 before passing away in 2023.

Lou Pearlman

From running a blimp company to creating and building new managing a series of bands, including The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, Pearlman seemed like a figurehead for breaking entry barriers into the music industry. However, that turned out to be far from the whole story. Pearlman was soon issued lawsuits by most of the talent under him. The Backstreet Boys struggled financially and had to split $300,000 between them, while their “sixth member,” Pearlman, took millions. It was then discovered that his Trans Continental company, which claimed to own an airline, restaurants, and more, was nothing but a Ponzi scheme that stole hundreds of millions. In 2008, Pearlman was sentenced to 25 years in jail and passed away in 2016.

Jimmy Savile

For decades, he was one of the most famous presenters in the UK. Due to hosting “Jim’ll Fix It,” which had children getting their wishes answered, and his passionate charity work, Savile was highly respected by fans, celebrities, politicians, and even royalty. This trust gave him access to schools and facilities where vulnerable people were. Instead of helping them in their time of need, Savile did the opposite. In 2012, a year after his passing, allegations about Savile abusing many, many people came out, as well as an apparent cover-up by authority figures. This seemingly open secret was now exposed to the public. Operation Yewtree was launched by the police, which discovered hundreds of victims of the disgraced presenter.

Elizabeth Holmes

In 2015, she was named by Forbes as the youngest and wealthiest self-made billionaire woman in the U.S. Holmes had created the company Theranos, which claimed to have pioneered a less invasive method of testing blood. The college dropout was everywhere, and her passionate support of getting women into STEM occupations boosted her positive profile further. Shortly after the Forbes announcement, allegations about Theranos’s methods were exposed. The group was accused of employing devices used by other companies for testing as the accuracy of their Edison machine was questioned. Theranos had raised millions on the misinformation that their device was revolutionary. In 2023, Holmes was sentenced to more than 11 years in jail and was fined $452 million for fraud.

Pablo Picasso

When an artist becomes as legendary as Picasso, many assume that they were a good person. On the surface, the Cubist movement co-founder seemed to fit the bill. Some who knew Picasso described him as a saint. However, others have far less complimentary descriptions. Even his granddaughter, Marina Picasso, said that once he’d got what he wanted from women, he’d throw them away. Many partners and muses in Picasso’s life have spoken about the abuse they sustained at his hands. This included burning a cigarette on an ex’s face in a jealous rage, having a relationship with an underage woman, and having affairs. His legacy now includes causing several partners and family members to suffer from mental health issues.

Thomas Edison

With his name attached to over one thousand patents in the US, Edison is considered one of the most prolific inventors and someone who helped modernize the world. He even started the first industrial research laboratory. But Edison seemingly took credit for work that may rightfully have been done by others. He also unsuccessfully sued black inventor Granville Woods for developing the induction telegraph, which Edison claimed he’d made. During the “war of the currents,” Edison, who supported direct current, supported tests to electrocute animals with alternating current to show its dangers. This evil fascination led to his film studio recording the electrocution of Topsy the elephant in 1903 so Edison could show the clip on his kinetoscopes.

Bill Cosby

After playing Cliff Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” he was labeled “America’s Dad” and everyone respected him. This, on top of his other comedy work, secured Cosby’s place as one of the greatest comedians in the US. Then, 2014 happened. After years of rumors and allegations, Hannibal Buress publicly called out Cosby for assault during a stand-up set. This led to a domino effect as many women began coming out with allegations of abuse they'd sustained from Cosby, destroying his wholesome persona. In 2018, he was found guilty and sentenced to 3 to 10 years. In 2021, Cosby’s conviction was overturned, and he was released. Regardless, his reputation is in tatters as he continues fighting further legal battles.

P.T. Barnum

Back in the day, Barnum was admired by many. Beyond his entertainment work, he was a key figure in Connecticut politics, helping to transform the city of Bridgeport during a stint as mayor. While on the board of trustees at Tufts University, Barnum gave the facility a lot of money, resulting in the creation of the Barnum Museum of Natural History. When he passed in 1891, obituaries heavily focused on his philanthropic endeavors. While his entertainment empire did give work to those dismissed by society, he’s also been accused of exploiting them, especially if they were Black, and mistreating animals. After his wife passed away, Barnum controversially married Nancy Fish, the daughter of his close friend, who was 40 years younger.

Harold Shipman

This doctor was so respected that in the early 80s, “World in Action” interviewed him on his thoughts about how the mentally ill should be treated in society. For nearly three decades, the general practitioner was well liked in his communities. So much so that many of Shipman’s patients included him in their wills, even removing their family members for him. However, the authorities got suspicious due to the large number of patients dying in his care. In 2000, after finding evidence of will forgery and that he’d been administering fatal doses of diamorphine, “Dr. Death” was sentenced to life. He took his own life in 2004. The Shipman Inquiry investigation concluded in 2005 that the doctor killed 284 people.

Bernie Madoff

Many billionaires dabble with philanthropy. But Madoff took it to another level. After making his fortune from his own stock brokerage company and an asset management firm, he began working on the boards of several nonprofits and Yeshiva University. Madoff also donated cash to hospitals, foundations, theaters, and around $6 million to lymphoma research. He seemed like a good person. Then, in 2008, he was arrested after he confessed to his sons that his company was the largest Ponzi scheme in history, estimated at $65 billion. Not only did people lose their money due to Madoff, but so did charities. In 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in jail. He passed away in jail in 2021.

Jim Jones

Growing up in poverty and experiencing kindness from neighbors, Jones seemingly wanted to emulate this in his adulthood. In 1955, he founded his own new religious movement, which would become the Peoples Temple, promoting racial equality and incorporating Christian and left-wing ideologies. After moving to San Francisco, California, the group worked with activists and charities. Yet when accusations of abuse in the Temple began to emerge, Jones relocated his movement to Guyana and created Jonestown. In 1978, while investigating dark claims about the commune, US politician Leo Ryan and 4 others were fatally shot. Seeing his Temple about to come crashing down, Jones ordered mass ingestion of a cyanide-laced drink among his followers, causing 918 people to perish.

Are there any secretly horrible people that we missed from the video? Let us know in the comments.