Jerzy Kosinski

Author Jerzy Kosinski was really not a Jerzy, nor a Kosinski. In order for him to survive World War II, his parents obtained false documents that changed his name from (the rather Jewy) Jozef Lewinkopf to a more goyishe sounding one. Newly-minted Jerzy event spent the war as an altar boy. We would usually frown at a Jew going to church, but we will obviously let it slide here.

That was not the last time Kosinki's life was changed by a forged document. After the war, he wanted to get out of Poland, so he made up a fake American foundation that would "sponsor" his trip to the states. He also forged documents, supposedly signed by Polish communist officials that assured the authorities that Kosinksi was a loyal Pole who would return. Somehow, it worked.

In America, Kosinksi wrote a best-selling novel, "The Painted Bird", about a Jewish boy's experiences in the war. Despite the book's success, Kosinksi was accused of plagiarism... and forgery.

You know what? Considering what he's been through, we'll let that slide too.