The spellbinding tale of an epic international manhunt for a psychopathic con artist who stole dozens of identities and millions of dollars while exploiting the dreams of artists from Hollywood, Jakarta, London and beyond.  

Blending years of deep reporting with distinctive, powerful prose, Scott C. Johnson’s unique true crime narrative recounts the tale of the brilliantly cunning imposter who carved a path of financial and emotional destruction across the world. Gifted with a diabolical flair for impersonation, manipulation, and deception, the Con Queen used his skill with accents and deft psychological insight to sweep through the entertainment industry. Johnson traces the origins of this gender-bending criminal mastermind and follows the years-long investigation of a singularly determined private detective who helped deliver him to the FBI. Described by one victim as a “crazy, evil genius,” the Con Queen brazenly worked in an evolving, borderless world in which our notions of gender, identity, and sexuality are undergoing profound changes, helping enable one of the most elaborate scams to ever hit Hollywood. The Con Queen is the perfect criminal, committing the perfect crime for our time. 

 But for what purpose? And with what motive? 

 Johnson first broke the story of the Con Queen for The Hollywood Reporter and led the coverage of this intricate story. His unparalleled access to sources, including exclusive interviews with victims and investigators, and never-before-heard audio footage of the Con Queen, brought global attention to the scam and spurred law enforcement to act. But the story took a truly unique turn when Johnson ventured out of Covid restrictions to search for the Con Queen himself. Embarking on a journey that took him from Los Angeles to the United Kingdom and, finally, to Jakarta, Johnson came face-to-face with the mastermind and uncovered the truth about one of the most compelling and disturbing criminal minds in recent history. 

 Despite decades of experience as a foreign correspondent and war reporter, nothing prepared Johnson for the bizarre experience of following the Con Queen’s exploits—and for what chasing the story ultimately revealed about himself and his own troubled family history.