Charlatan
Een charlatan is een speciaal soort oplichter die voorziet in zijn behoeften door systematisch mensen te bedriegen over zijn afkomst, vaardigheden, intenties of prestaties. Een charlatan maakt gebruik van zijn charme. Het woord wordt ook wel gebruikt voor mensen die zonder zelf de bewuste intentie te hebben te misleiden ideeën of denkbeelden presenteren die zij zelf voor waar houden maar die de wetenschappelijke toets der kritiek niet kunnen weerstaan. In de geneeskunde spreekt men dan vaak van kwakzalverij.
Erich von Däniken
Von Däniken's run-ins with the law started at an early age. When he was a Boy Scout, he was brought before a judge to answer charges that he had taken money from the troop's treasury. In the 1960 time frame, Von Däniken worked in hotels and restaurants across Switzerland, and then he was convicted of fraud, serving a prison sentence for defrauding his boss at one hotel. In 1967, soon after Chariots of the Gods was published he was arrested and charged by Interpol with fraud and tax evasion for non-payment of $14,000.00. On behalf of the prosecution, he was ordered by the Court to undergo psychological examinations. The results of those examinations, made during a preliminary inquiry, were read during trial without (supposedly) the defense being allowed to cross-examine their authors.[5] During the investigation, authorities uncovered a large personal debt totaling about $700,000. Von Däniken was found guilty of embezzlement, and he served more than three years in Swiss prisons.[citation needed], Von Daniken stated in the preface of his book Return to the Stars that it was written while he was "in prison on remand". In 1982, that conviction was overturned by the Graubünden cantonal court. During his prison term, Von Däniken wrote his second book: Return to the Stars. His criminal convictions dogged von Däniken, who was at times not permitted visas to enter the United States, or some other coutries. That caused him to become a no-show at several speaking engagements, including a so-called "Legendary Times" San Francisco, Calif. seminar in May 2004.
By 1982, after further controversies, Von Däniken could not find a British or American publisher for his 10th book. Although in the past several years his theories have made a modest resurgence, a multi-million dollar theme park based on von Daniken's ideas and persona was a financial disappointment, and it was closed in November 2006 due to poor attendance.
Neonak legt de vinger op de zere plekken 
