Inspired by a true story that was based on a lie, Apple Cider Vinegar’s premise is hard to swallow: Aussie wellness influencer Belle Gibson (Kaitlyn Dever) claims to have cured her terminal brain cancer through health and wellness, and shares her journey with the world through social media, the mobile app she develops, and its companion cookbook. The only catch? She never had cancer in the first place.
The rise and inevitable fall of scammers, grifters, catfishers, con artists, and the like is inherently fascinating. So, if you’re in the mood for more malfeasance, we say these nine falsehood-fueled titles are some of the best available to stream right now — and unlike Belle, we’d never lie to you.
Inventing Anna
Anna Delvey. Anna Sorokin. Whichever name you know her by, it’s likely you do know her. Portrayed by Julia Garner in this Shondaland production, the real-life fake German heiress rubbed elbows with New York’s high society before emptying their pockets to fund her lifestyle. Society can’t decide whether Anna’s a villain or hero (she recently appeared on a celebrity dance competition show), but the series’s juicy drama and gorgeous settings — along with Anna’s confounding accent — make for excellent television either way.
I Care a Lot
It takes a special kind of evil to deceive the elderly. Alas, that’s the schtick of con artist Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), who persuades judges to grant her guardianship over geriatrics who, she falsely testifies, can’t take care of themselves. Once she’s trapped them in an assisted living facility, Marla and her girlfriend (Eiza González) sell their targets’ possessions and steal the profits. That is, until they mess with the wrong family — a mafia crime matron (Dianne Wiest) and her vengeful son (Peter Dinklage).
The Tinder Swindler
The things people will do for love … for the victims of Simon Leviev aka Shimon Hayut, they’re heartbreaking, and very expensive. How expensive? For one unlucky lady, half a million dollars. In all, the Tinder Swindler made multiple millions, bankrolling a life of luxury across Europe by tricking matches from the titular dating app into taking out loans and lines of credit on his behalf. Hayut’s dastardly scheme only came to an end when one of his dates managed to swindle the Swindler right back. Enjoy the satisfying ending, and be careful swiping out there.
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.
Successful restaurateur Sarma Melngailis was “the raw vegan queen,” until she met and married Anthony Strangis, a fraudster who convinced her to embezzle $2 million from her business and go on the run once the jig was up. How? Promises of immortality for the couple and Melngailis’s dog. The food may be uncooked, but there’s plenty of gaslighting in this riveting four-part docuseries — featuring interviews with family, friends, investors, former staff, and Melngailis herself.
Bitconned
In this true-crime documentary, you’ll meet Ray Trapani, Sam Sharma, and Robert Farkas, three hustlers who took advantage of everyone’s confusion about cryptocurrency to scam millions from investors. Their company, Centra Tech, claimed to be working on a debit card that would easily allow users to spend virtual currencies. Only problem? It, along with everything else about their and their initial coin offering, wasn’t real. Even less real than real cryptocurrency. Now, years after they were caught, are the guys sorry about their misdeeds? You make the call.
Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife
Dr. Paolo Macchiarini seemed to be a medical genius, responsible groundbreaking advancements in the field of stem cell research. So then why did his patients keep dying? That’s the question asked by Macchiarini’s former fiancée-slash-investigative producer, Benita Alexander, and this chilling docuseries at large. Eventually, as the surgeon’s popularity and bank account swelled alongside his death toll, allegations of misconduct landed him in court. What was the verdict: savior or sadist? Watch and see.
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare
Based on a 2021 podcast of the same name, this British documentary film highlights the emotional and psychological horrors of catfishing. In this case, the British radio presenter Kirat Assi had maintained an online relationship for almost ten years before finding out her beloved Bobby was not the love of her life. In fact, the real Bobby Jandu had never even spoken to Assi. So, who did Assi fall in love with? When the identity of Assi’s “Bobby” is finally revealed, you’ll find your jaw on the floor.
FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
Remember that time would-be mogul Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule announced a luxury music festival with a too-good-to-be-true lineup, accommodations, and food? And then it turned out to be, well, too good to be true? That’s Fyre Fest for you, and the subject of this documentary. McFarland defrauded investors out of somewhere around $27.4 million by the end of the enterprise, but the memes that came out of the experience are priceless.
Dirty John
This true-crime anthology focuses on two tales of love gone very, very wrong. In Season 1, serial divorcee Debra Newell (Connie Britton) falls for the charming and charismatic John Meehan (Eric Bana), only to discover he has dark secrets that will put her whole family in danger. Then, in Season 2, we’re introduced to Betty (Amanda Peet) and Dan Broderick (Christian Slater), college sweethearts whose marriage deteriorates with deadly consequences.
The Search For Instagram’s Worst Con Artist
And finally, if you’re interested in more about Belle Gibson, this docuseries offers a nonfictional deep dive into the social media influencer’s story — the fame, money, success, and fall from grace. With interviews from friends and family who spoke on the record for the first time, the search for the truth behind Belle’s lies is even more compelling and confusing. Was she a master manipulator or a damaged young woman who was exploited herself?
