Fake Rockefeller Sentenced to Life for Murder
German con artist deceived American elite for decades before kidnapping exposed decades-old killing
Sagsdetaljer
Quick Facts
Quick Facts
From Bavaria to America
Christian Gerhartsreiter was born in 1961 in Bavaria and dreamed of America and the American dream from his teenage years. In 1978, at just 17 years old, he emigrated to the United States as an exchange student—but he never returned home. Instead, he embarked on a double life that would span decades.
Shortly after arriving in the US, Gerhartsreiter began assuming false identities. He posed as an exchange student from wealthy backgrounds and systematically gained access to American elite circles. His first significant role was Christopher Chichester, the purported descendant of a British aristocratic family. This identity opened doors to exclusive circles in California.
The Murder of John Sohus
In the 1980s, Gerhartsreiter rented a guest house in San Marino, California under the name Christopher Chichester. His hosts were husband John Sohus and his wife Linda. In February 1985, both disappeared without a trace. Gerhartsreiter claimed they had traveled to Paris, where John had secured a new job.
Nine years later, in 1994, human remains were discovered during construction work on the property—John Sohus' body, wrapped in a carpet and buried. Linda Sohus was never found. By that time, Gerhartsreiter had long since assumed a new identity and vanished. The murder remained unsolved for years.
