The Most MYSTERIOUS People Of All Time
The Babushka Lady
Top 20 Most Mysterious People in History
Few events have as much speculation or mystery around them as the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Some of those theories revolve around the bystanders. One of these is the so-called Babushka Lady, a woman wearing a headscarf like the Babushka commonly worn by elderly Russian women. She was filmed and photographed holding a camera. If not for her choice in headwear, she would probably be a footnote of history. However, given that the assassination took place during the height of the Cold War, her identity has elicited wild theories over the years. While a woman named Beverly Oliver claimed to be the Babushka Lady, her identity has never been definitively confirmed.
Tommy Wiseau
Top 10 Facts You Didn't Know About Tommy Wiseau
Arguably the most public person on our list, Tommy Wiseau famously wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the unmitigated cinematic disaster that is “The Room.” Yet despite having a cult following to go along with his “so bad it’s good” film, Wiseau remains just as big a question mark as his acting choices. Wiseau’s background is surprisingly murky, with his country of origin currently unknown, though according to him, he’s from Europe. Equally mysterious is where he got the surprising amount of money he sank into making and advertising “The Room,” which cost at least $6 million. Some believe he got it from drug sales or through a mob connection. Honestly, if you told us the guy was an alien, we wouldn’t be surprised.
Karl Koecher
One little-discussed part of history is the fact that a Soviet spy managed to infiltrate the CIA. Czech-born Karl Koecher managed to get a job in the CIA. Because of his work in the agency, and through the reportedly wild swingers’ parties he and his wife attended, Koecher obtained intelligence that he passed to the USSR, though some speculate he was in fact a triple agent. Although Koecher and his wife were eventually detained, their case was mishandled, and a proper conviction could not be obtained. Eventually, they were let go in a prisoner exchange. Koecher’s life after his release has remained private and his true loyalties remain a mystery.
Tank Man
Top 10 Rejected Shark Tank Products That Succeeded On Amazon
The Tiananmen Square Massacre is one of the most infamous responses to protest in the 20th century. The event has been immortalized in famous photos and videos of the Tank Man, an unidentified man carrying grocery bags who stood in front of a line of tanks. Video shows him repeatedly standing in front of the tanks, even climbing on top of one and seemingly speaking to someone inside. The man was later pulled away by unidentified people. Tank Man’s true identity has remained unknown, though some names have been put forth. For as much as Tank Man remains a mystery to the world, he’s even more elusive within China, where references to the Tiananmen Square Massacre are censored online.
Satoshi Nakamoto
Digital currency has many mysteries – first and foremost for the average person is probably how it works. But one of its biggest mysteries is the identity of the creator of Bitcoin and blockchain – Satoshi Nakamoto. Generally believed to be a pseudonym for the person or persons who developed Bitcoin, Nakamoto was active online for Bitcoin’s first few years, but disappeared in the early 2010s, taking billions’ worth of the currency with them. In the years since, theories about who Nakamoto really is have included everyone from a systems engineer named Dorian Nakamoto to Elon Musk. Nakamoto’s identity feels solvable, which is why the continuing mystery remains tantalizing.
D. B. Cooper
Top 20 Mysterious Events That Can't Be Explained
In 1971, a man using the alias “Dan Cooper” hijacked a 727 aircraft and managed to extort money worth around $1.3 million in today’s currency by threatening to blow up the plane. After the plane landed, refueled, and took off again sans passengers, Cooper parachuted out to an uncertain fate. After actively investigating the case for forty-five years and with dozens of suspects, the FBI’s current position is that Cooper perished in the jump. Conspiracies and theories by amateurs have persisted, and Cooper’s daring bit of air piracy has remained a fixture of pop culture.
The Zodiac Killer
Top 10 Mysterious Zodiac Killer Facts
One of the most famous unsolved murder cases involves the serial killer known as the Zodiac Killer. With five confirmed victims and as many as thirty-seven total, the Zodiac Killer terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area with a series of cryptic letters accompanying his crimes. These letters contained ciphers and cryptograms, some of which remain unbroken today. Many gumshoes, both professional and amateur have put forth possibilities for the killer’s identity, but the case remains open and is considered unsolved to this day. And as long as it remains a mystery, the Zodiac Killer will stay an object of fascination.
Banksy
In the art world, Banksy is one of the most elusive figures. An England-based, and allegedly male graffiti artist, Banksy’s pieces tend to focus on political or social commentary with a distinctive stencil technique. Due to the illegal nature of his primary choice of medium, Banksy has been understandably cagey in keeping his identity a secret. While a few popular names have been put forward, Banksy’s identity remains as mystifying as his art. As a contemporary figure, we feel like it’s only a matter of time before Banksy’s identity is more than just writing on the wall.
Perseus
Spies are mysterious by design. One of the most mysterious may not have even been real! Perseus is the codename of a purported Soviet spy embedded in the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb. Perseus was supposedly instrumental in the development of the Soviet nuclear program. Some believe that Perseus may have been the name for a group of spies or even a complete fabrication. While there are several confirmed Soviet spies from the project, none of them have been confirmed to be Perseus. We can only speculate on whether Perseus will remain as mythical as their mythological namesake.
Jack the Ripper
Top 10 Jack The Ripper Theories
Of all the serial killers throughout history, Jack the Ripper is perhaps the most infamous. The Ripper stalked Victorian London’s East End - particularly the Whitechapel district - brutally killing at least five sex workers. Numerous letters were sent to the police and newspapers, which helped stir up a worldwide media sensation that has endured for over a century. The case remains unsolved, despite hundreds of suspects being put forward, some as recently as the last few years. There’s nothing more frightening than the unknown, and Jack the Ripper will continue to terrify for years to come.
