Clark Rockefeller

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Rockefeller Impostor Gets 27 Years to Life

Christian Gerhartsreiter sentenced for murder of John Sohus

(Newser) - A man who assumed numerous identities including as a Rockefeller heir has been sentenced to 27 years to life in prison for a 1980s murder in California. Christian Gerhartsreiter was sentenced today in Los Angeles Superior Court for the killing of John Sohus, who disappeared along with his wife, Linda,...

Fake Rockefeller Guilty of Murder

Con man Gerhartsreiter convicted of 30-year-old slaying

(Newser) - The German con man who passed himself off for years as a fake Rockefeller along with several other hoity-toity identities couldn't talk his way out of this one: A California jury today convicted him of murdering his landlady's adult son nearly 30 years ago, reports the Los Angeles ...

Fake Rockefeller Extradited to Calif. to Face Murder Rap

Gerhartsreiter will faces charges he murdered his landlord in 1985

(Newser) - Christian Gerhartsreiter, the German immigrant whose many fake identities included blueblood heir Clark Rockefeller, has a new role this week: murder defendant. The 50-year-old has been taken from the Massachusetts prison where he was serving time for kidnapping his daughter and moved to California for trial on charges that he...

Fake Rockefeller Charged With 1985 Murder

Calif. authorities seeking to extradite con man Christian Gerhartsreiter

(Newser) - A German immigrant who conned his way into American high society by pretending to be a member of the Rockefeller clan has been charged with the murder of a California man. Christian Gerhartsreiter—currently serving time in Massachusetts for kidnapping his daughter and assaulting a social worker—was renting a...

DA's 'Smear' Should Nix Conviction: 'Rockefeller'

(Newser) - Lawyers for Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter—aka Clark Rockefeller—want his conviction overturned because the jury was unfairly prejudiced against their client, the Boston Globe reports. Rockefeller was found guilty of kidnapping his daughter. The lawyers say the prosecution “eviscerated” their insanity defense during closing arguments by calling an unqualified...

'Rockefeller' Sentenced to 4-5 Years

(Newser) - A German man who called himself Clark Rockefeller and spun fantastic stories about himself during 3 decades in the US was sentenced today to 4 to 5 years for kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter was convicted of parental kidnapping today for taking the girl during a supervised visit...

'Rockefeller' Guilty of Kidnapping, Faces 15 Years

(Newser) - A Boston jury found the con man known as Clark Rockefeller guilty of kidnapping and assault today in the abduction of his young daughter last year, the Boston Herald reports. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he's sentenced this afternoon. The jury found him not guilty of...

No Verdict on First Day of 'Rockefeller' Deliberations

(Newser) - Jurors in the kidnapping trial of the German man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller ended deliberations for today without a verdict. The Boston jurors got the case shortly after noon, and later asked the judge questions about one of the charges, that of providing a false name to police. Rockefeller's...

'Rockefeller' Was Unaware, Deluded: Defense Shrink

Others fed into his narcissistic personality disorder, she says

(Newser) - Lawyers for accused kidnapper “Clark Rockefeller” began their insanity defense today with testimony from a psychologist who said he has a deluded sense of self-importance and fantasies of unlimited power, the Boston Globe reports. “If there is a continuum of narcissistic personality disorder, he is on the far...

Ex: 'Rockefeller' Went From 'Charming' to Domineering

Sandra Boss 'thought we had a lot in common'

(Newser) - The ex-wife of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter—aka “Clark Rockefeller”—testified today that the accused con artist was “charming” and “very intelligent” when they first met, but quickly became domineering and unpredictable, the Boston Herald reports. In her first public remarks since Gerhartsreiter allegedly kidnapped their daughter,...

Rockefeller Twisted by Twin Disorders: Shrink

Accused kidnapper's lawyers building case for insanity

(Newser) - The accused kidnapper who calls himself Clark Rockefeller suffers from multiple mental illnesses, a psychologist testified yesterday in a pre-trial hearing. Rockefeller, who went on the lam with his young daughter, has delusions of grandeur and a narcissistic personality disorder, said the expert, whose testimony will be used at trial...

'Rockefeller' Jury Won't Hear of Calif. Case

Mystery man is person of interest in couple's disappearance

(Newser) - Prosecutors in the kidnapping trial of the man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller have agreed not to tell the jury that he is a "person of interest" in the 1985 disappearance of a California couple. But they want the jury to hear the dramatic 911 call and subsequent statements...

'Rockefeller' Trial Sparks Identity Crisis

Defendant's name(s) at issue as jury readies for kidnapping case

(Newser) - A Boston court saw the selection yesterday of 11 of the 16 jurors needed to begin the trial of Clark Rockefeller. Or of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. Or of "the defendant," as the judge calls him. The mystery man is on trial for kidnapping his daughter, and because he's...

'Rockefeller' Jury Selection Begins

Gerhartsreiter to be called only 'the defendant' at trial

(Newser) - Jury selection has started in the kidnapping trial of a German man long called Clark Rockefeller, the Boston Herald reports. But he won’t be going by that name in the trial—in fact, most won’t call him anything but “the defendant.” He was indicted as Christian...

7 Men Who Led Double Lives

Suspected Craigslist killer joins list of adulterers, con men

(Newser) - Alleged Craigslist killer Philip Markoff is just one of many men whose double lives were exposed by the law, ABC News reports:
  • Eliot Spitzer seemed a dedicated governor and family man until he was pinned in a prostitution ring.
  • Christophe Rocancourt pretended to be a Rockefeller heir to defraud the
...

'Rockefeller' Fights False Name Charges

Con man just gave cops name he'd used for 15 years: defense

(Newser) - The con man who went by “Clark Rockefeller” attempted today to dismiss charges he gave police a fake name when arrested last year, the Boston Globe reports. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter told police arresting him for absconding with his 7-year-old daughter that he was Clark Rockefeller—as he had told...

'Rockefeller' Will Plead Insanity

(Newser) - Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, known as "Clark Rockefeller" to his alleged victims, will say temporary insanity inspired him to abduct his daughter last summer, the Boston Globe reports. In a court filing today, his lawyer said the accused conman was afflicted with a "mental disease or defect" during...

'Rockefeller' Considers Plea
 'Rockefeller' Considers Plea 
Feb 3, 2009 4:45 PM CST

'Rockefeller' Considers Plea

(Newser) - The bizarre case of “Clark Rockefeller,” nee Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, may soon come to a close, the Boston Globe reports. The conman, awaiting trial for kidnapping, fraud, and assault, has been offered a deal consisting of 5 years' jail time and 15 years' probation. He must decide by...

'Rockefeller' Was Ultimate Pro of Cons
 'Rockefeller' Was 
 Ultimate Pro of Cons 
Glossies
Dec 7, 2008 11:29 AM CST

'Rockefeller' Was Ultimate Pro of Cons

Regret at losing his 'one true thing' led to kidnapping

(Newser) - How did a German student reinvent himself as the creepy Clark Rockefeller? After lifting the drawl and manner of the millionaire on Gilligan’s Island, accused kidnapper Christian Gerhartsreiter embarked on a 30-year con, Mark Seal recounts in Vanity Fair. He became a suspect in a double murder, charmed his...

Ex-Wife: Abuse Drove Me From Rockefeller

Man of many names pleads not guilty to kidnapping daughter

(Newser) - Clark Rockefeller repeatedly abused his ex-wife before she finally left him last year, prosecutors alleged yesterday during the con man’s trial for the kidnapping of his young daughter. Sandra Lynne Boss tried to leave Rockefeller— actually Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter of Germany—in 1999 but was “wooed back” and...

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