Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Rockefeller Impostor Gets 27 Years to Life

Christian Gerhartsreiter sentenced for murder of John Sohus

(Newser) - A man who assumed numerous identities including as a Rockefeller heir has been sentenced to 27 years to life in prison for a 1980s murder in California. Christian Gerhartsreiter was sentenced today in Los Angeles Superior Court for the killing of John Sohus, who disappeared along with his wife, Linda,...

Fake Rockefeller Guilty of Murder

Con man Gerhartsreiter convicted of 30-year-old slaying

(Newser) - The German con man who passed himself off for years as a fake Rockefeller along with several other hoity-toity identities couldn't talk his way out of this one: A California jury today convicted him of murdering his landlady's adult son nearly 30 years ago, reports the Los Angeles ...

Fake Rockefeller Extradited to Calif. to Face Murder Rap

Gerhartsreiter will faces charges he murdered his landlord in 1985

(Newser) - Christian Gerhartsreiter, the German immigrant whose many fake identities included blueblood heir Clark Rockefeller, has a new role this week: murder defendant. The 50-year-old has been taken from the Massachusetts prison where he was serving time for kidnapping his daughter and moved to California for trial on charges that he...

Fake Rockefeller Charged With 1985 Murder

Calif. authorities seeking to extradite con man Christian Gerhartsreiter

(Newser) - A German immigrant who conned his way into American high society by pretending to be a member of the Rockefeller clan has been charged with the murder of a California man. Christian Gerhartsreiter—currently serving time in Massachusetts for kidnapping his daughter and assaulting a social worker—was renting a...

DA's 'Smear' Should Nix Conviction: 'Rockefeller'

(Newser) - Lawyers for Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter—aka Clark Rockefeller—want his conviction overturned because the jury was unfairly prejudiced against their client, the Boston Globe reports. Rockefeller was found guilty of kidnapping his daughter. The lawyers say the prosecution “eviscerated” their insanity defense during closing arguments by calling an unqualified...

'Rockefeller' Sentenced to 4-5 Years

(Newser) - A German man who called himself Clark Rockefeller and spun fantastic stories about himself during 3 decades in the US was sentenced today to 4 to 5 years for kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter was convicted of parental kidnapping today for taking the girl during a supervised visit...

'Rockefeller' Guilty of Kidnapping, Faces 15 Years

(Newser) - A Boston jury found the con man known as Clark Rockefeller guilty of kidnapping and assault today in the abduction of his young daughter last year, the Boston Herald reports. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he's sentenced this afternoon. The jury found him not guilty of...

No Verdict on First Day of 'Rockefeller' Deliberations

(Newser) - Jurors in the kidnapping trial of the German man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller ended deliberations for today without a verdict. The Boston jurors got the case shortly after noon, and later asked the judge questions about one of the charges, that of providing a false name to police. Rockefeller's...

'Rockefeller' Was Unaware, Deluded: Defense Shrink

Others fed into his narcissistic personality disorder, she says

(Newser) - Lawyers for accused kidnapper “Clark Rockefeller” began their insanity defense today with testimony from a psychologist who said he has a deluded sense of self-importance and fantasies of unlimited power, the Boston Globe reports. “If there is a continuum of narcissistic personality disorder, he is on the far...

Ex: 'Rockefeller' Went From 'Charming' to Domineering

Sandra Boss 'thought we had a lot in common'

(Newser) - The ex-wife of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter—aka “Clark Rockefeller”—testified today that the accused con artist was “charming” and “very intelligent” when they first met, but quickly became domineering and unpredictable, the Boston Herald reports. In her first public remarks since Gerhartsreiter allegedly kidnapped their daughter,...

Rockefeller Twisted by Twin Disorders: Shrink

Accused kidnapper's lawyers building case for insanity

(Newser) - The accused kidnapper who calls himself Clark Rockefeller suffers from multiple mental illnesses, a psychologist testified yesterday in a pre-trial hearing. Rockefeller, who went on the lam with his young daughter, has delusions of grandeur and a narcissistic personality disorder, said the expert, whose testimony will be used at trial...

'Rockefeller' Trial Sparks Identity Crisis

Defendant's name(s) at issue as jury readies for kidnapping case

(Newser) - A Boston court saw the selection yesterday of 11 of the 16 jurors needed to begin the trial of Clark Rockefeller. Or of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. Or of "the defendant," as the judge calls him. The mystery man is on trial for kidnapping his daughter, and because he's...

'Rockefeller' Jury Selection Begins

Gerhartsreiter to be called only 'the defendant' at trial

(Newser) - Jury selection has started in the kidnapping trial of a German man long called Clark Rockefeller, the Boston Herald reports. But he won’t be going by that name in the trial—in fact, most won’t call him anything but “the defendant.” He was indicted as Christian...

'Rockefeller' Will Plead Insanity

(Newser) - Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, known as "Clark Rockefeller" to his alleged victims, will say temporary insanity inspired him to abduct his daughter last summer, the Boston Globe reports. In a court filing today, his lawyer said the accused conman was afflicted with a "mental disease or defect" during...

'Rockefeller' Considers Plea
 'Rockefeller' Considers Plea 
Feb 3, 2009 4:45 PM CST

'Rockefeller' Considers Plea

(Newser) - The bizarre case of “Clark Rockefeller,” nee Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, may soon come to a close, the Boston Globe reports. The conman, awaiting trial for kidnapping, fraud, and assault, has been offered a deal consisting of 5 years' jail time and 15 years' probation. He must decide by...

'Rockefeller' Was Ultimate Pro of Cons
 'Rockefeller' Was 
 Ultimate Pro of Cons 
Glossies
Dec 7, 2008 11:29 AM CST

'Rockefeller' Was Ultimate Pro of Cons

Regret at losing his 'one true thing' led to kidnapping

(Newser) - How did a German student reinvent himself as the creepy Clark Rockefeller? After lifting the drawl and manner of the millionaire on Gilligan’s Island, accused kidnapper Christian Gerhartsreiter embarked on a 30-year con, Mark Seal recounts in Vanity Fair. He became a suspect in a double murder, charmed his...

Bail Set at $50M for 'Rockefeller'

German of many names in jail on kidnap charge, linked to other crimes

(Newser) - The man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller—a German citizen whose twisted life of multiple aliases unraveled after he was charged with kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter—was awarded bail today at a sum befitting a true Rockefeller. A Massachusetts judge set bail at $50 million for the man authorities say...

Judge Releases Records of Rockefeller's Divorce

Prosecutors will use them before grand jury

(Newser) - A Boston judge has agreed to let prosecutors look at the divorce and separation records of the man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller, the Globe reports. They won't make the records public but will use them to try to persuade a grand jury to indict Rockefeller—alleged to be German...

'Rockefeller' Recalls Glorious Days with Kidnapped Snooks

But he stonewalls on his past

(Newser) - The father who still insists on calling himself Clark Rockefeller described six days on the lam with his 7-year-old kidnapped daughter—nicknamed Snooks—as "glorious," reports the Boston Globe. But he refuses to discuss his past life using several aliases. "We had such a wonderful time,"...

FBI Confirms 'Rockefeller' Is German Con Man

27-year-old print matches Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter's

(Newser) - The FBI and Boston investigators confirmed today that accused kidnapper and con man "Clark Rockefeller" is indeed a German national named Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. Analysts matched his fingerprints with those from an immigration document he filled out as a teenager almost 3 decades ago, the Boston Herald reports. Officials...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser