Cassie Chadwick Canadian scammer Date of Birth: 10.10.1857 Country: Canada

1. Early Life
2. The Bank Swindler
3. The Clairvoyant
4. The Marriage Swindler
5. The "Queen of Ohio"
6. The Carnegie Scam
7. The Great Fraud Unraveled
8. Trial and Imprisonment

Early Life

Elizabeth Bigley, the infamous Canadian con artist, was born on October 10, 1857 in Eastwood, Ontario. Raised on a small farm with her siblings, Bigley exhibited a penchant for daydreaming and fabrication from a young age.

The Bank Swindler

In 1870, at the age of 14, Bigley orchestrated her first fraudulent scheme. She forged a document of inheritance and opened a bank account, using it to issue bad checks at local businesses. Although apprehended for forgery, Bigley's age and alleged "insanity" led to her release.

The Clairvoyant

Relocating to Cleveland, Ohio, Bigley adopted the alias Lydia DeVere and posed as a clairvoyant widow. She married a doctor in 1882, but her past caught up to her when a newspaper article revealed her true identity. Her husband divorced her, but not before settling her debts. Undeterred, Bigley resumed her clairvoyant practices under the name Marie LaRose.

The Marriage Swindler

Bigley's next victim was a farmer whom she tricked into marrying her. She subsequently accused him of adultery and swindled him out of his assets in a contentious divorce. In 1889, she was finally imprisoned for fraud, serving a nine-and-a-half year sentence.

The "Queen of Ohio"

Released in 1891, Bigley returned to Cleveland as Mrs. Cassie Hoover and established a brothel. There, she met and married Dr. Leroy Chadwick, a wealthy widower, by portraying herself as a virtuous widow. Despite Chadwick's discovery of her true nature, Bigley's manipulations convinced him to marry her in 1897.

The Carnegie Scam

As Chadwick's wife, Bigley acquired expensive tastes, surpassing her wealthy neighbors on Euclid Avenue, known as Cleveland's "Millionaire's Row." Posing as the illegitimate daughter and heir of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, Bigley secured massive loans from numerous banks, amassing a vast fortune. Banks eagerly extended credit, believing her to be the recipient of Carnegie's substantial inheritance.

The Great Fraud Unraveled

Bigley's fraudulent scheme unraveled when a banker discovered her multiple debts and revoked a loan. Unable to repay the funds, she faced legal action that ultimately brought her deception to light. Carnegie publicly denounced Bigley and refused to assume her debts.

Trial and Imprisonment

In March 1905, Bigley was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Her celebrity status afforded her a luxurious cell, but her health declined, and she passed away on her 50th birthday.