None of this can be true....but....

[Highstool]

I have a new aquaintance. Practically the first time I had an actual conversation with him, he told me how he grew up in another country, but his family had to make a moonlight flit because of their involvement with the mob, when he was 14yo. His uncle eventually went to prison for attempting to murder his father.

This meant his sister had to give up a promising sporting career where she was already competing internationally.

His accent is "correct" for where he lives now because he was deaf until he was in his early 20s, when he had an implant fitted.

He cousin plays for a Premiership FC.

His Grandad is a very famous decorated war hero etc etc

Loads of really far fetched stories, that if they were true, he surely wouldn't have told someone he's only just met.

But it all checks out with stories in mainstream newspapers when you Google.

So is he pretending to be someone else? I just don't know why he'd be telling me!

But you, a complete novice in anything like this, can prove that all these stories tie up and that are the people (the sports star history, the Premier League footballer, the war hero) are connected to one another AND him? If all that information is out there, anyone seriously looking for him and his family would have a pretty decent head start.

Maybe he’s exactly who he says he is and is related to all these famous people. Maybe he doesn’t want to be the boring one of the family, so has thrown in “I can never set foot in Nicaragua again” to add a bit of colour to his own story. Maybe his father was genuinely involved in something dodgy and thought it was best to get away from the heat - which, over the years has become “We’re on the run” in your friend’s mind. But the likelihood that his cover is about to be blown by some indiscreet boasting at the badminton club is just one part of this that’s hard to swallow.

People do have remarkable families, sometimes you meet one - in my case my family owned for generations a fairly large chemical manufacturing business (nothing to show for it now), a third cousin who I hardly know bumped off his wife and went to jail for nearly 20 years, and the 4 bedroom house (formerly a little farm/ smallholding) was gifted to an ancestor by Elizabeth the first for some good deed and has passed down all the way to me.

Some extrordinary things there I suppose - and all easily verified like your chap, only difference is if I met you in person, I wouldn't reel it all off in short order, in fact I may never mention it.

So its not so much is it true, its if he's a bit of a big I am, flash git, and that never ends well.

Is there any way to find out if all those people are related?

So it's all true, what's your issue?.

Why are you researching him so heavily as to be goggling his relatives and past stories? He’s a new acquaintance and your Colombo style investigation is just a bit creepy. Why are you so invested? Is he a prospective husband if he’s telling the truth?

I mean the only risky story he's telling must be from at least a decade ago if it happened when he was 14, and presumably he doesn't feel in active danger from it any more (or specifically from you).

How is the deaf part believable though? You said he grew up in a foreign country with foreign parents yet he speaks with a UK accent with no hint of a foreign accent? And his explanation is he couldn’t hear (so assuming his speech was also very affected) until he was in his 20s then he got an implant, started being able to hear, and could suddenly speak and sound just like the people around him? That’s not possible

Is he quite popular in the group, despite being new? You sound a bit…jealous or something? I appreciate if he just gets on your nerves, but if his stories check out then it’s probably all true.

It’s just normal curiosity. I’d be curious too. You don’t need a reason to be curious about something

There you go then, it probably is true. I have a friend that has had some extraordinary things happen to her - thry all true! She has been on a very famous chat show for one of the said incidents. Ive seen the recording of it although it was way before I knew her.

She was very private about it though and didnt tell me about it for a long time.

Yeah, the deaf bit just isn’t true. You aren’t deaf for the first 20 years of your life get implants and suddenly have full speech.

Implants do not provide perfect hearing, deaf children still make noises similar to the noises they can ‘hear’ even if profoundly deaf.

You can see an implant on the outside of the skull. You’ve been asked if you can see it and not answered.

You might want to read Jon Ronson’s book on Pyschopaths. Making up fantastical background stories is not uncommon.

Anything you can research he can too.

Personally I find people who are taken in as interesting as the people who are obviously lying! They often suspect but convince themselves they are wrong. I bet he’s very charming and charismatic!

Edited to add- the truth will be mixed in with the nonsense. Also a common trait.

But where in these news articles does it connect those people to him? It might connect them to eachother. Even if it did, But if he's not who he says he is then how would you know?

Blimey, There is stuff in my life which seems a bit far fetched but 'checks out'.
If he is genuine then it's just part of his life, probably why he just talks about it like it is 'normal' - because it is normal - to him. The same way any other person might talk about random stuff about themselves, around people they meet regularly.
It might just be weird to you.

I have a friend who has all of these wild, far-fetched stories, that no one ever believes - yet they are all actually completely true. Every story has been verified by other people.

I can see that, when he tells people these tales, no one ever believes him - he’s a mad cockney, and a fantastic story teller, really animated and engaging - and there are SO MANY stories. And they’re all completely true. Some people just get themselves into some bizarre situations, it would seem!

Trust your gut - something about this guy doesn’t sit right with you. He could be a liar, or it could be true but there’s something else about his energy that’s making you wary about him… either way, steer clear!

He actually sounds like a nice person who has had an extremely interesting life, if he has a season ticket I assume they have to use a real name and ID when buying so I imagine he is the name he says? Does that match up with the names in the articles online

He's definitely the teenage boy next to his sister in one of the photos, so if his name is real, he's also the son talked of when his Uncle tried to murder his father, and the grandson of the was hero and the cousin of the footballer (son of the Uncle).

Yes, he is really nice and interesting. Maybe it's the too good to be true feeling that makes it all feel off.

Haha. Fair enough, maybe accept it. But it does seem a lot of detail to be giving out to people you barely know. So he sounds like a bit of a show off, main character syndrome type. I bet he doesn't know anything whatsoever about your family?

Interesting because I'd say he's also very good at getting you to tell him personal information you didn't mean to. E.g. he knows way more about my DC than most people I've been at the club with for years.

Hmmm. I guess that could be seen as being open and friendly. Do you get the impression he's a decent person? Remember you don't really know him and all this exchange of information might not be for completely honourable reasons.

Sometimes if people seem too open, too interesting/ interested it's almost too good to be true?

I honestly don't know. He appeared out of nowhere, became an important and popular member of the club overnight, always ready to do a favour for anyone, building close relationships (men and women). On the face of it he's a huge asset, but there's a niggle wondering "what are you up to?"

Maybe he’s had to keep quiet, and secrets, his whole life and now he feels he doesn’t have to, it is all rushing out? It must have been a huge burden to have to live a lie.

Yeah. I'd say be wary. It could be leading up to him saying he has this mate in some fancy finance company. He can get you a great return on your investment...do not be surprised if he's after something. And I can only imagine that something to be money.

Anyone who carries rolls of 50’s in 2026 is not in legal employment.
He might have an interesting past but that alone would have me stepping away.