Deception 4 steps
Forging Howard Hughes: How Irving Sold a Phantom Autobiography to McGraw-Hill
Clifford Irving convinced McGraw-Hill that the reclusive Howard Hughes had personally commissioned him to write an autobiography by presenting forged handwritten notes that experts authenticated, backing the claim with research into an illegally acquired draft biography and an adopted Hughes persona, while counting on Hughes's reclusiveness to keep the commission unverified.
Read the 4 steps as text
- 1
Forge the commission evidence
Clifford Irving
What it looked like: The notes appear to be genuine handwritten communications from Howard Hughes commissioning his autobiography.
Irving fabricates a story that Hughes has engaged him to write his autobiography and presents forged handwritten notes purporting to be from Hughes as evidence.
- 2
Handwriting experts authenticate the forgeries
Clifford Irving
What it looked like: The authentication appears to confirm that the notes really came from Hughes.
To Irving's surprise, handwriting experts authenticate the forged notes as genuine, lending the commission story independent-seeming credibility.
- 3
Rely on Hughes's reclusiveness
Clifford Irving
Irving operates under the assumption that Hughes, known for his reclusiveness, is unlikely to contest the publication, and that his eccentric behaviors can help Irving navigate any challenges to the book's authenticity.
- 4
McGraw-Hill agrees to the $500,000 deal
Clifford Irving
What it looked like: The publisher believes it is buying an authorized autobiography of Howard Hughes.
McGraw-Hill agrees to a $500,000 deal for the book, accepting the forged commission as genuine.
