Well reading about James Hogue all I could think of was a film called “Catch me if you can”. James Hogue gave new meaning to forgery and deceit. He is known for one thing and that is forgery. His career as con man started in 1986 when he was admitted in a High School in California faking his identity as Jay Mitchell Huntsman. Jay Mitchell had died and as a local reporter knew Jay Mitchell, he reported James Hogue’s fraud.
But it was some of James Hogue’s not so big exploits. His most notorious fraud involves his admission in Princeton University. Just two years after being caught for his first crime he faked his identity as Alexi Indris Santana and said that he has tended flocks in Utah and has studied philosophy. Once at Princeton he applied for the scholarship and his application was accepted, resulting in some $30,000 in aid. He was also chosen into Ivy Club. As a former school fellow recognized him his days at Princeton were numbered. He was apprehended and received a sentence of 3 years behind the bars.
As if he could not control himself from forgery and deceit, he chose Harvard as his next target. He was appointed as a security guard in the museum. But he was very much James Hogue from inside and went on to stealing diamonds and replaced them with cheap imitation. He was again caught but violated the terms of his sentence and again went to Princeton only to be apprehended again.
As recently as 2005, his house was searched and police found many stolen items. A documentary has been made on James Hogue with the fitting title – Con Man.
James Hogue
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