21 Known Quacks Who Somehow Still Have Careers

Gone are the days when you could roll into town on your wagon, set up your medicine show, sell lots of snake oil and disappear in the night before anyone figures out it’s just your own spit, on to the next town. These days, if you’re shilling a shoddy product or lifestyle or ideology, people will find out. There will be a New York Times investigation, an HBO documentary and a Netflix limited series in which you’re played by a hot young Oscar winner who they have nevertheless uglied up.

But amazingly, that’s not always the kiss of charlatan death that it should be. For some people, mainstream rejection of an idea is itself evidence in the idea’s favor because they desperately need to believe they’re smarter than everyone else — again, despite all evidence to the contrary. Others just don’t know. They buy essential oils from a nice lady at the farmer’s market and never thought to Google it.

Whatever the case, when user Ninac4116 asked r/AskReddit, “Who are some exposed frauds that still have a following despite being debunked?” the subsequent list was not small.