Clifford Irving

Clifford Michael Irving (November 5, 1930 – December 19, 2017) was an American novelist, investigative reporter and convicted fraudster. He was born in New York City. Although he published 20 novels, he was best known for an "autobiography" allegedly written as told to Irving by billionaire recluse Howard Hughes.
The fictional work was to have been published in 1972. After Hughes denounced him and sued the publisher, McGraw-Hill, Irving and his collaborators confessed to the hoax. He was sentenced to years in prison, of which he served 17 months.
Irving wrote "The Hoax" (1981), his story of events surrounding the development and sale of the fake autobiography.
Irving died on December 19, 2017 in Sarasota, Florida of pancreatic cancer at the age of 87.