The Man in the Rockefeller Suit

The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Imposter

By: Mark Seal

Narrated by: Erik Singer

A real-life Talented Mr. Ripley, the unbelievable thirty-year run of a shape-shifting con man.The story of Clark Rockefeller is a stranger-than-fiction twist on the classic American success story of the self-made man-because Clark Rockefeller was totally made up. The career con man who convincingly passed himself off as Rockefeller was born in a small village in Germany. At seventeen, obsessed with getting to America, he flew into the country on dubious student visa documents and his journey of deception began.Over the next thirty years, boldly assuming a series of false identities, he moved up the social ladder through exclusive enclaves on both coasts-culminating in a stunning twelve-year marriage to a rising star businesswoman with a Harvard MBA who believed she'd wed a Rockefeller.The imposter charmed his way into exclusive clubs and financial institutions-working on Wall Street, showing off an extraordinary art collection-until his marriage ended and he was arrested for kidnapping his daughter, which exposed his past of astounding deceptions as well as a connection to the bizarre disappearance of a California couple in the mid-1980s.The story of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit is a probing and cinematic exploration of an audacious imposer-and a man determined to live the American dream by any means necessary.

Critic reviews

“Has all the pace and drive of a suspense novel.” — Michiko Kakutani, New York Times

“No mystery writer would script this—it’s too unbelievable. — The Christian Science Monitor

“Impeccably reported.” — Los Angeles Times

“Fascinating.” — People (four stars)

Truth is stranger than fiction

You can't make this kind of stuff up! I have often heard the saying that truth is stranger than fiction and this book proves that. Clark Rockefeller is one of more than 4 personas this immigrant takes on in the book. At every turn their is something stranger than the last sensational event. The author does a great job of getting you hooked in the very beginning and then he keeps you entranced throughout the book. Erik Singer does a very good job with making the book come alive. Great Book!

A Real Page Turner

Amazing story. The narrator was excellent. This should be a movie. Though people will think it's all fiction. But it shows how a con man can continue to fool intelligent people. They heard the name Rockefeller and at once started to believe anything that came out of his mouth. No matter how far fetched. Rockefeller meant money so how could you go wrong.. The con man had them. It could happen to any of us. it seems if the con can identify preconceived ideas in people he is on his way.

Loved it

Loved everything about this book. The story was compelling and the guy reading it was probably the best I've ever heard. It's hard to find a book that has staying power until the end. A very good read!

Too fun! Didn’t want it to end…

This was so much fun to listen to. Very fascinating story and a great reader. The reader did the funniest accents. I think the Christian Gerhartsreiter is a repulsive lowlife but he made for a great story.

The author got lucky?

Inquiring minds want to know: Who was the mysterious man who serendipitously gave the author a dossier of all the documents needed to pin down Clark's identity? That lingering question as side , this is a great audio book. Thoroughly enjoyed.