A spectacularly dazzling corner of true crime has been snatched by scammers. Con artists who have the gift of gab, terrific charisma, or a sales pitch too good to be true, can be as fascinating as they are infuriating. If you can’t get enough of tales of scams, cons, and deceptions, we’ve got you covered with a collection of daring documentaries.
Whether you want the rundown on infamous scam artists like Elizabeth Holmes, or the story behind the absolute mess that was Fyre Fest, or the outrageous truth behind a submarine scheme, a faked fast food giveaway, or a menacing imposter, there’s a documentary for you. Some of them are as shocking as they are amusing, others are riveting and unnerving. All of them are worth the watch, even as they give you goosebumps.
Here are the best documentaries about scammers, now streaming.
1. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Enter the absolutely unreal delusion of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley. Academy Award winner Alex Gibney walks viewers through the scam concocted by the ex-CEO, which not only garnered the support of numerous high-profile investors but even saw its entirely fake technology — a blood-testing device called “Edison” — begin a pseudo rollout in actual pharmacies.
Repurposing some incredible footage of Holmes — intended for use in a Theranos advertising campaign — Gibney renders a stunning portrait of a now convicted fraud. The result is a…
