The original fake heiress: How an Edwardian woman staged her death to escape debts after scamming people out of thousands - before finding celebrity status as a fraudster Violet Charlesworth 'died' in 1909 when her car crashed in Cowys, north Wales READ MORE: I thought only fools fell for romance scams, then I lost £100,000. Here's how I got my revenge..
. By Jessica Taylor For Mailonline Published: 05:01 EDT, 24 September 2024 | Updated: 05:01 EDT, 24 September 2024 e-mail View comments As fake heiress Anna 'Delvey' Sorokin tangoes under the glitterball in Dancing With the Stars , many have been left wondering how a criminal can be allowed to enjoy such fame. However, a new BBC Sounds podcast, Lady Swindlers with Lucy Worsley , also featuring Prof Rosalind Crone, reveals that Sorokin is not the first con-woman to go on to find national fame; as far back as the early 20th century, in fact.
Violet Charlesworth was just two weeks away from her 25th birthday when she disappeared in a car accident in Conwy, north Wales on January 2, 1909. Presumed dead at first, her apparent tragic end sent a whole community in Bangor into mourning - until details emerged that cast doubt on her fate and her entire identity. An investigation into Violet and her disappearance uncovered her as a fraudster who claimed she'd inherit an enormous fortune when she turned 25 - and used this fake plot to swindle people close to her out of thousands of pounds in the promise she would pay them back after rec.