John F. Kennedy document hoax

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1997, documents purported to prove an affair between President John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, as well as other illicit relationships, were discovered to have been part of an elaborate hoax.[1] Lawrence X. "Lex" Cusack had forged the documents under the guise that they had belonged to his father, an attorney who represented Monroe's mother Gladys Baker Eley[2] as well as the Archdiocese of New York.[3]

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, who was finishing work on his book The Dark Side of Camelot, vouched for the authenticity of the documents, with the original manuscript of the book including many statements that were sourced by the documents. Before the scandal broke, there were also plans for an ABC-backed TV special or film.[4]

However, doubts were raised among ABC investigators: inconsistencies in the documents included use of typefaces created well after they were allegedly written, and the use of ZIP codes before their introduction on July 1, 1963 (a year after Monroe's death). Led by Peter Jennings, ABC employees confronted Cusack with these issues on a live television broadcast, but Cusack maintained the documents were authentic.

Soon after the telecast ended, Cusack was indicted on 13 fraud and forgery charges.[5] He was convicted on all counts by a jury, sentenced to 10 years and three months in prison and ordered to forfeit the forged documents and $7 million in proceeds from their sale.[6]

Later coverage[]

The story was featured on the February 11, 2011, episode of This American Life.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ Randolph, Eleanor (September 26, 1997). "JFK-Monroe 'Affair' Papers Faked, ABC Reports". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  2. ^ Wald, Jonathan (March 9, 2004). "Forged Monroe-JFK letters sought". CNN. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  3. ^ a b "427: ORIGINAL RECIPE".
  4. ^ "The Jfk-Marilyn Hoax". Newsweek. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  5. ^ Assassination Records Review Board (September 30, 1998). "Chapter 6, Part I: The Quest for Additional Information and Records in Federal Government Offices". Final Report of the Assassination Records Review Board (pdf). Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. p. 109. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  6. ^ Katsoulis, Melissa (2009). Literary hoaxes : an eye-opening history of famous frauds. New York: Skyhorse Pub. pp. 102–108. ISBN 978-1-60239-794-1. lex cusack 10 years.
Retrieved from ""