Clark Rockefeller news stories on Newser

Fake Rockefeller Extradited to Calif. to Face Murder Rap

Rob Quinn — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:42:00 CDT

Christian Gerhartsreiter, the German immigrant whose many fake identities included blueblood heir Clark Rockefeller, has a new role this week: murder defendant. The 50-year-old has been taken from the Massachusetts prison where he was serving time for kidnapping his daughter and moved to California for trial on charges that he...

Fake Rockefeller Charged With 1985 Murder

Rob Quinn — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 03:22:00 CDT

A German immigrant who conned his way into American high society by pretending to be a member of the Rockefeller clan has been charged with the murder of a California man. Christian Gerhartsreiter—currently serving time in Massachusetts for kidnapping his daughter and assaulting a social worker—was renting a...

DA's 'Smear' Should Nix Conviction: 'Rockefeller'

Harry Kimball — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:45:02 CDT

Lawyers for Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter—aka Clark Rockefeller—want his conviction overturned because the jury was unfairly prejudiced against their client, the Boston Globe reports. Rockefeller was found guilty of kidnapping his daughter. The lawyers say the prosecution “eviscerated” their insanity defense during closing arguments by calling an unqualified expert...

'Rockefeller' Sentenced to 4-5 Years

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:01:16 CDT

A German man who called himself Clark Rockefeller and spun fantastic stories about himself during 3 decades in the US was sentenced today to 4 to 5 years for kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter was convicted of parental kidnapping today for taking the girl during a supervised visit...

'Rockefeller' Guilty of Kidnapping, Faces 15 Years

John Johnson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:11:02 CDT

A Boston jury found the con man known as Clark Rockefeller guilty of kidnapping and assault today in the abduction of his young daughter last year, the Boston Herald reports. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he's sentenced this afternoon. The jury found him not guilty of...

No Verdict on First Day of 'Rockefeller' Deliberations

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:03:02 CDT

Jurors in the kidnapping trial of the German man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller ended deliberations for today without a verdict. The Boston jurors got the case shortly after noon, and later asked the judge questions about one of the charges, that of providing a false name to police. Rockefeller's...

'Rockefeller' Was Unaware, Deluded: Defense Shrink

Ambreen Ali — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:34:02 CDT

Lawyers for accused kidnapper “Clark Rockefeller” began their insanity defense today with testimony from a psychologist who said he has a deluded sense of self-importance and fantasies of unlimited power, the Boston Globe reports. “If there is a continuum of narcissistic personality disorder, he is on the far end of...

Ex: 'Rockefeller' Went From 'Charming' to Domineering

Drew Nelles — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:30:02 CDT

The ex-wife of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter—aka “Clark Rockefeller”—testified today that the accused con artist was “charming” and “very intelligent” when they first met, but quickly became domineering and unpredictable, the Boston Herald reports. In her first public remarks since Gerhartsreiter allegedly kidnapped their daughter, Sandra Boss said she...

Rockefeller Twisted by Twin Disorders: Shrink

Rob Quinn — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:25:43 CDT

The accused kidnapper who calls himself Clark Rockefeller suffers from multiple mental illnesses, a psychologist testified yesterday in a pre-trial hearing. Rockefeller, who went on the lam with his young daughter, has delusions of grandeur and a narcissistic personality disorder, said the expert, whose testimony will be used at trial...