Metal has always been a breeding ground for drama, rebellion, and outright mayhem. When you search for the top 10 most infamous metal groups, you end up with tales of on‑stage chaos, legal battles, and headlines that make even the most hardened fans blush. Below we walk through ten bands that have taken the genre’s shock factor to the extreme, each with a story that proves metal isn’t just loud—it’s often downright dangerous.

Why These Are the Top 10 Most Notorious Metal Acts

From blood‑soaked concerts to court‑room showdowns, each of these bands earned a reputation for pushing boundaries far beyond the music itself. Whether it’s a vocalist’s bizarre on‑stage antics, a guitarist’s violent outbursts, or an entire group’s political controversy, the stories below illustrate why they occupy the infamous corners of metal history.

10 Murder Junkies

The Murder Junkies have faded from mainstream notoriety, but back in the 1980s and ’90s they were the embodiment of raw, unapologetic aggression. Their lyrics roamed the darkest corners, glorifying drugs, sexual violence, and serial killers. Drummer Dino even earned a twisted fame for playing in the nude, turning each performance into a visual assault on conventional decency.

At the heart of the band’s infamy stood GG Allin, whose on‑stage behavior bordered on the surreal. He would strip down to nothing, fling his own feces into the crowd, and then unleash a barrage of punches on anyone daring enough to get close. Audience members often fled in terror, and the band lived in constant fear of retaliation after shows.

The infamous fecal incident began as a mishap. Allin had taken a dose of laxatives before a gig and, unable to hold it, deliberately expelled the waste onto the stage, hurling it into the audience. The shock value was immediate, and he decided to make it a permanent part of his act, pairing it with a savage beat‑down of anyone within reach.

Allin had once plotted to end his life onstage, but repeated arrests kept his suicide plans from materializing. His final hours were no less chaotic: during a show, the power cut out, leaving him drenched in blood and excrement. He stormed out, stumbled to a friend’s house, and succumbed to a heroin overdose. In a final, macabre request, he asked to be buried without washing, still smeared with blood and feces.

9 Mayhem

Mayhem emerged from Norway’s black‑metal underground, quickly gaining a reputation for extremist ideology and violent performances. Their early years were riddled with satanic imagery, drug‑fuelled chaos, and accusations of Nazi symbolism, all of which kept them under a perpetual cloud of controversy.

In 1991, vocalist Per “Dead” Ohlin took his own life onstage, a tragedy that sent shockwaves through the metal community. Guitarist Øystein “Euronymous” Aarseth discovered the corpse, delayed calling authorities, and proceeded to harvest fragments of Dead’s skull and brain, later mailing them to fellow musicians. This grisly act was later confirmed by Marduk’s Morgan “Evil” Steinmeyer Håkansson, who received a piece of the remains.

Rumors swirled that Euronymous even cooked a portion of Dead’s brain in a stew and fashioned a necklace from his skull fragments. Though never definitively proven, the legend persisted until Euronymous himself met a violent end—stabbed to death by former bandmate Varg Vikernes in 1993. Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years for the murder and for burning several churches, though he was released after 14 years.

8 Slipknot

Slipknot, the iconic nu‑metal outfit, has become notorious for turning concerts into grotesque spectacles. DJ Sid “Ratboy” Wilson once defecated live during a radio interview, and the band’s members have been known to urinate, defecate, and even masturbate onstage. One infamous show saw them pooping onstage and then battling each other with the very waste they’d produced.

Frontman Corey “The Sickness” Taylor added to the horror by inhaling the odor of dead animals he kept in jars to induce vomiting onstage. The band’s self‑inflicted injuries are legendary; during a tour they accumulated 45 broken ribs, all the result of deliberate self‑harm. Ratboy once leapt from a 30‑foot balcony into the crowd, leaving a female fan seriously injured.

Beyond the physical chaos, Slipknot’s music has been linked to real‑world violence. In 2003, two teenagers in California who had listened to “Disasterpiece” committed a brutal murder, quoting the song’s opening line. A South African student, dressed as drummer Joey Jordison, sliced a peer’s throat and stabbed three others in 2006. That same year, lyrics from “Surfacing” were discovered at a U.S. grave‑robbing scene. Psychologists warn that the band’s aggressive themes may exacerbate depressive tendencies, while Christian groups argue the songs glorify the devil.

7 Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols, though rooted in punk, earned a place among metal’s most scandalous acts. Formed in 1975, they exploded onto the scene on December 1, 1976 when guitarist Steve Jones, drunk on live TV, dropped the f‑word twice, sparking nationwide outrage. Their concerts were repeatedly cancelled, and audiences often walked out in disgust.

Undeterred, the Pistols recorded a diss track titled “EMI” to mock the record label that dropped them. After a brief stint with A&M Records, they trashed the label’s office during a celebratory party, leading to another contract loss. By May 18, 1977 they signed with Richard Branson’s Virgin Records, releasing the incendiary single “God Save the Queen”.

“God Save the Queen” directly attacked the British monarchy, prompting the BBC to ban the track and newspapers to denounce the band. Frontman John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, faced violent attacks on the streets, including a machete assault. On June 7, the Pistols were arrested for performing on a boat that sailed past the House of Commons, cementing their legacy as provocateurs.

6 Electric Eels

The Electric Eels, stylized with lowercase e’s, were a proto‑punk outfit that burned bright and fast in the mid‑1970s. Their three‑year existence ended in 1976 after a mere five shows, none of which resulted in a recorded album. Club owners often ejected them mid‑set, unable to tolerate their on‑stage aggression.

Guitarist John Morton epitomized the band’s volatility, regularly picking fights with audiences and even bandmates during performances. The group also courted controversy by flaunting Nazi swastikas and wielding bizarre instruments—chainsaws and lawn mowers—to amplify their sound, creating a chaotic sonic assault that left venues in disarray.

5 Mashrou’ Leila

Mashrou’ Leila hails from Lebanon and, while their music leans more toward indie rock than traditional metal, they’ve become notorious throughout the Middle East for challenging societal norms. Lead singer Hamed Sinno is openly gay, a fact that has made the band a target for conservative governments.

Their outspoken lyrics address political and social issues, prompting bans in Syria and Palestine. Jordanian radio stations refuse to play their songs, and the government barred them from touring in 2016‑2017. Though Saudi Arabia has not formally banned them, the band knows they would never be permitted to perform there. Today, they tour extensively in the West, playing the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.

4 Body Count

Thrash‑metal outfit Body Count rarely sparked controversy—until their 1992 track “Cop Killer” landed on the political radar. The song, released amid the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict and ensuing Los Angeles riots, narrated a revenge‑fantasy from the perspective of a victim of police brutality.

Law‑enforcement groups and the FBI denounced the track, placing Ice‑T, the band’s founder, on the National Threat List. President George H.W. Bush publicly condemned the song, and Time Warner faced intense pressure to pull the album from shelves. A North Carolina store was warned that police would not respond to emergencies unless the record was removed, prompting compliance.

Under mounting pressure, Ice‑T and Time Warner agreed to replace “Cop Killer” with a track titled “Freedom of Speech,” directly addressing those who demanded the song’s removal. The controversy cemented Body Count’s place in the annals of music‑induced political debate.

3 Cannibal Corpse

Cannibal Corpse has become synonymous with graphic lyricism and shocking album artwork. Songs like “Stripped, Raped, and Tangled” have drawn accusations of promoting violence against women, leading to bans in Russia, Germany, and Australia at various times. In 1995, U.S. presidential candidate Bob Dole labeled the band’s output as undermining American character.

A 2014 Russian court ruled that the band’s music and visuals could damage children’s mental health, prohibiting translations of their lyrics and the use of their album covers. Although the band had planned an eight‑date Russian tour, only two shows materialized as local partners constantly offered flimsy excuses.

2 Shining

Swedish band Shining, unrelated to the Norwegian namesake, pioneered the suicidal black‑metal subgenre. Frontman Niklas Kvarforth, the sole constant across both incarnations of the band, has cultivated a reputation for self‑destructive behavior that mirrors his music’s bleak themes.

Formed initially in 1996, the first version of Shining dissolved amid infighting that the band’s website attributes to Kvarforth’s mental health. He resurrected the project later, but controversy followed. In May 2017, a Portland tour was canceled after Kvarforth’s excessive antics threatened venue safety.

Prior to a Boise show, Kvarforth’s night spiraled out of control: after heavy drinking, he drugged a woman’s drink, assaulted a man, sexually assaulted another woman, uttered racial slurs, threatened to stab and rape people, and concluded the chaos with a Nazi salute. The incident cemented his notoriety.

1 Suicidal Tendencies

Hardcore punk pioneers Suicidal Tendencies found themselves embroiled in controversy after being accused of affiliating with the Venice 13 street gang. The band’s 1993 album cover featured the gang’s logo, prompting speculation about their involvement.

While the group never confirmed gang membership, bassist Louiche Mayorga’s brother was known to be a Venice 13 member. Their 2013 release “13” further fueled rumors—whether the title referenced the year or the gang remains ambiguous, but critics readily assumed a connection.

Beyond alleged gang ties, Suicidal Tendencies faced bans due to their explicit lyrics. At one point, they were blacklisted from performing throughout Los Angeles. In another episode, the FBI knocked on their door after the band released a track originally titled “I Shot Reagan,” later renamed “I Shot the Devil,” intensifying their reputation as provocateurs.

European highwaymen have long been painted as charismatic outlaws who captured the imagination of the masses. While some managed to cultivate a charming, almost heroic reputation, many were far more ruthless and cunning, earning a permanent place in the annals of history. Below you’ll meet the ten most infamous figures who rode the roads of Europe, each with a story as wild as the next.

10 Notorious Highwaymen

10 Cartouche

Born in 1693, the French bandit known as Cartouche entered the world as Louis Dominique Garthausen. He soon adopted the moniker “Cartouche” – meaning cartridge – and slipped into a life of crime during his teenage years, joining a local gang of miscreants.

By his twenties he had risen to command the Cours des Miracles, a notorious band of thieves named after the slum district they prowled. Cartouche’s raids targeted the bustling Versailles‑Paris trade route, where he brazenly redistributed the riches of the aristocracy to the impoverished, echoing a Robin Hood‑like legend while maintaining the poise of a true gentleman among his companions.

Eventually the law caught up with him. After evading capture for a time, a betrayal by a confidant left him exposed. While imprisoned in the Grand Châtelet, Cartouche attempted a daring escape by tunneling into an adjacent cellar, but the clanking of his chains alerted a household dog, whose frantic barking gave away his presence.

His flamboyant demeanor could not shield him from a brutal end. Cartouche was condemned to be skinned alive and broken upon the wheel, a punishment that mirrored the cruelty of his own deeds.

In a macabre twist, his younger brother Louison suffered a peculiar sentence: hanging by the armpits – a punishment designed to avoid immediate death but ultimately resulting in his demise.

9 Robert Snooks

Robert Snooks, originally named James Snook, entered the world in 1761. His nickname likely evolved from the phrase “that robber Snooks,” which morphed over time into the name by which history remembers him.

Snooks earned his infamy after ambushing a mail carrier loaded with six sacks of letters, one of which concealed a staggering £500 in cash – a fortune in the eighteenth‑century economy.

The theft quickly sparked a massive manhunt, and authorities posted a £300 bounty on his head – £200 from the postmaster general and £100 from the government – underscoring the seriousness of his crime.

For a while he managed to stay ahead of the law, but a careless mistake proved his undoing. While directing a servant to purchase cloth, he mistakenly handed over a £50 note, believing it to be a modest £5. The sudden appearance of such a large sum aroused the merchant’s suspicion, exposing Snooks’s hideout.

He fled to Hungerford, only to be apprehended shortly thereafter. In 1802, he became the last highwayman to be hanged in England. Legend claims that circling his grave three times while chanting his name summons his restless spirit.

8 Nicolas‑Jacques Pelletier

French outlaw Nicolas‑Jacques Pelletier first attracted the authorities’ attention after a brutal assault on a passerby, wielding a cudgel to the point of murder and then pilfering the victim’s wallet. Convicted under the penal code, he faced the death penalty.

At the same time, physicians Joseph‑Ignace Guillotin and Antoine Louis were perfecting a new execution device, the “louisette” – later known worldwide as the guillotine. After animal trials, the device was deemed ready for human use.

Consequently, Pelletier’s execution was postponed until the guillotine could be employed. When finally carried out, the swift, clean cut shocked onlookers, who demanded a return to the traditional wooden gallows in protest.

Despite the public outcry, the guillotine endured, becoming an iconic symbol of swift justice, with Pelletier remembered as its inaugural victim.

7 Captain James Hind

James Hind’s early years saw him apprenticing to a butcher, but a trip to London introduced him to a life of ale, women, and eventual imprisonment. While incarcerated, he formed a bond with fellow outlaw James Allen, promising to join forces upon release.

Stories of Hind’s exploits often highlight a surprisingly compassionate side. After robbing a man who needed funds for a cow, Hind later met the same individual, providing enough money to purchase two cows instead of one.

In another episode, Hind held up a traveler who turned out to be an old acquaintance. He returned the stolen cash, adding a bonus so the friend could afford a pair of gloves.

During England’s civil war, Hind served as a Royalist captain. Captured by Parliamentarian forces after the 1651 Battle of Worcester, he faced trial for his allegiance, though those charges were eventually dropped.

Later, a separate trial for highway robbery sentenced him to the gruesome fate of being hanged, drawn, and quartered.

6 Juro Janosik

Juro Janosik, an 18th‑century Polish bandit, led a crew that menaced dignitaries across the region. Over time, his deeds were embellished, turning him into a larger‑than‑life folk hero.

Legend claims that three witches granted Janosik magical gifts – a shirt, a belt, and an alpenstock – endowing him with resistance to arrows, bullets, and wounds, as well as super‑human speed and the ability to leave his palm imprint on stone.

These supernatural attributes, however, mask a darker reality. While folklore paints him as a Robin Hood figure, there is no concrete evidence he ever redistributed loot to the poor. In fact, accounts suggest he could be cruel, especially toward subordinates who failed him.

His downfall came through betrayal; he was captured and executed by impalement on a hook at Liptovský Mikuláš castle. To preserve his mythic aura, later stories depict him defiantly leaping onto the hook, refusing to let his executioners savor a prolonged death.

5 Jerry Abershaw

Born in 1773, Jerry Abershaw earned a reputation as the last of the classic highwaymen – a dashing, daring, and witty figure of the era.

At the age of 17, he began frequenting the Bald‑Faced Stag Inn, a notorious gathering spot for outlaws. Though not as refined as some of his peers, Abershaw distinguished himself with a sharp sense of humor, especially when circumstances turned grim.

Because highwaymen operated under layers of disguise, the exact scope of his activity remains uncertain. Nevertheless, crime reports spiked during his years, and many of his robberies were noted for the clever quips he delivered amid the theft.

His criminal career culminated when two Bow Street runners, David Price and Bernard Turner, received a tip about his identity. In a desperate bid to escape, Abershaw opened fire, killing Price and wounding Turner before being captured in 1795.

During his trial, he taunted the presiding judge and, on the way to the scaffold, tossed his shoes into the crowd, recalling his mother’s prophecy that he would die in them. After his execution, his corpse was displayed on a hill that now bears his name, drawing an estimated 100,000 spectators.

4 Joseph Blake

Joseph Blake entered the world in 1700 and quickly fell into a life of crime, landing his first jail term at age 15. By 17 he earned the nickname “Blueskin” as a pickpocket, soon joining forces with five other felons to terrorize England’s streets.

One account recounts Blake seizing eight shillings and a sword from a victim, then firing upon a woman who witnessed the act from a nearby window. His gang’s violent spree also included beating a man nearly to death with pistols for a meager sum of one guinea and one penny.

Even as his associates faced capture and execution, Blake persisted. He eventually partnered with the famed Jack Sheppard for a daring house robbery, only to be apprehended by the notorious thief‑taker Jonathan Wild.

During his trial, Blake pleaded with Wild to commute his sentence to transportation rather than hanging; Wild refused. Later, when Wild confronted Blake for a private discussion, Blake retaliated by slashing Wild’s throat with a knife. Wild survived, but Blake was ultimately sentenced to hang.

3 Thomas Boulter

Thomas Boulter was born in 1748 into a troubled English family; his father, a known horse‑thief, received a 14‑year transportation sentence in 1775.

That same year, Boulter launched his own highwayman career, initially striking around Hampshire before expanding his reach throughout England. His rapid mobility earned him the nickname “the flying highwayman.”

Despite his reputation, Boulter displayed a surprisingly compassionate streak, often jesting with his victims and, on occasion, returning stolen items if the owner pleaded in the right tone.

After a capture in Yorkshire, he was offered a full pardon on the condition of joining the army. He accepted, only to desert six days later, resuming his criminal pursuits.

Partnering later with James Caldwell, Boulter continued his spree, experiencing multiple arrests and escapes before his final capture and hanging in 1778.

2 William Page

William Page entered the world in 1730 to a poor family. At ten, a tragic incident on the frozen Thames left his father dead, forcing young Page to fend for himself.

After a series of odd jobs, he was drawn into the world of robbery while working for the aristocracy, witnessing first‑hand the lavish lifestyles of the elite. By age fifteen, he had secured enough funds for pistols and a horse, embarking on a career of highway robbery.

Page teamed up with William Darwell, and together they employed a clever ruse: they would dress as gentlemen upon entering a town, then swap clothes before executing their heists. Their partnership allegedly resulted in up to 300 robberies over four years.

During a particularly violent coach robbery, passengers opened fire, leaving Page with a severe shoulder wound. Though arrested three times, he managed to avoid conviction each time until, in April 1758, he was finally found guilty and hanged at Penenden Heath in Kent.

1 Henry Simms

Henry Simms, born in 1717, earned the moniker “Gentleman Harry” for his polished manners. He began a life of crime early, stealing from shops at ten and later joining a gang whose members frequently faced arrest and transportation.

Simms transitioned to highway robbery after acquiring pistols and a horse. In one daring raid, he stole 102 guineas, promptly taking the loot to London and squandering it in a gambling den.

His criminal career unraveled when he was caught robbing a baker’s shop. He was sentenced to transportation, sold abroad as a slave for 12 guineas, but immediately escaped by stealing his master’s horse and making his way back to England’s coast.

Back in England, Simms resumed his thieving ways across London and Epping Forest until his final capture and hanging in 1747.

S.E. Batt is a freelance writer and author. He enjoys a good keyboard, cats, and tea, even though the three of them never blend well together. You can follow his antics over at @Simon_Batt or his fiction website at www.sebatt.com.

Welcome to the top 10 notorious roundup of Wikipedia hoaxes that managed to fool millions before being busted. While the collaborative nature of the encyclopedia fuels its brilliance, it also opens the door for mischievous edits that can spiral into full-blown misinformation. Below you’ll find a playful yet factual tour through the most eye‑catching fabrications ever to appear on the site.

Top 10 Notorious Wikipedia Hoaxes Overview

10 Sinbad’s Death

Famed stand‑up comedian Sinbad is very much alive—but back in March 2007, a prankster edited his Wikipedia page to claim he had died of a heart attack. Sinbad first learned of the inaccurate information via a phone call from his daughter and initially brushed it off. However, over the next few days hundreds of concerned fans reached out, assuming the worst. He later remarked the incident wasn’t “that strange,” noting that many celebrities—ranging from Ted Kennedy to Miley Cyrus—have suffered premature obituary hoaxes thanks to Wikipedia vandalism.

9 Wrightbus

This case illustrates how a “prank” edit can spark panic in a tense environment. In November 2015 a vandal added a false claim to the Wrightbus article, stating that FirstGroup, a Scottish transport firm, had purchased the Northern‑Irish bus manufacturer. The rumor quickly spread by word‑of‑mouth, unsettling the company’s 1,500‑plus employees. The timing was especially volatile because two major businesses—a tire maker and a tobacco firm—had recently announced exits from Ballymena, threatening over 1,700 jobs. Although local news debunked the hoax swiftly, the damage to employee morale lingered.

8 Jar’Edo Wens

This example shows just how easy it is to craft a faux article that slips through the cracks for years. In May 2005 a user created a page for a fabricated deity named Jar’Edo Wens—likely a clever twist on the name Jared Owens. The creator made only three edits: establishing the page, and adding Jar’Edo and another invented deity, Yohrmum, to a list of Australian Aboriginal deities. The entire process took eleven minutes, yet despite being flagged in 2009 for lacking sources, the page persisted for nearly a decade. During that span, Jar’Edo even appeared in a scholarly book criticizing theism, cited as a god who had “fallen out of favor.” When finally exposed in March 2015, it was recognized as the longest‑running hoax on Wikipedia at that time.

7 Maurice Jarre

Our next entry proves that Wikipedia isn’t always the villain. After Academy‑Award‑winning composer Maurice Jarre died in March 2009, several obituaries—including one in The Guardian—quoted him saying, “life itself has been one long soundtrack,” and “when I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head that only I can hear.” In reality, Jarre never uttered those lines. Dublin student Shane Fitzgerald seized the moment to test how quickly the media would cite Wikipedia. He fabricated the quote and added it to Jarre’s page, assuming newspapers wouldn’t use it because it lacked a source. The quote spread nonetheless, prompting Fitzgerald to confess his “crime” out of concern the false words would become permanently attached to the composer. He blamed fast‑moving journalists rather than Wikipedia, noting moderators removed the fabricated quote within hours.

6 Bicholim Conflict

This entry showcases perhaps the most elaborate Wikipedia hoax ever attempted. A group of editors authored a 4,500‑word article about a 17th‑century war between Portugal and India—a conflict that never existed. The piece was convincing enough to earn “good article” status, an honor bestowed on less than 1 % of all Wikipedia entries. The perpetrators even nominated it for “featured article” status, though the selection committee noted the sources were weak and ultimately rejected it. Unbeknownst to them, virtually every citation referenced a nonexistent book, and the only online mentions of the “Bicholim Conflict” linked back to the Wikipedia page itself. The hoax remained hidden until amateur wiki‑detective “ShelfSkewed” double‑checked the references, exposing the elaborate deception.

5 Orange Julius

Some hoaxes are simply too absurd to be believed. In June 2005 a Wikipedia article sprang up about Julius Freed, supposedly the creator of the Orange Julius drink. The entry portrayed Freed as a short biography, detailing his early life and the invention of the iconic beverage, and even claimed he devised inventions like an inflatable shrimp trap and a portable pigeon‑bathing unit. The fabrication went unchecked until “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings discovered it. He set out to debunk the falsehood and posted his findings on his personal blog. Though no one was harmed, the hoax was so outlandish that Orange Julius briefly ran an advertisement promoting Freed’s fictitious accomplishments before Wikipedia finally removed the article.

4 Coati

In July 2008, 17‑year‑old Dylan Breves, a student from New York City, edited the Wikipedia page for the coati—a tropical American mammal—by adding “Brazilian Aardvark” to its list of nicknames. The motivation? While touring Brazil’s Iguazu Falls, Breves and his brother mistakenly identified coatis as aardvarks. He told The New Yorker he disliked “being wrong about things,” so he inserted the false nickname “as a joke.” Expecting Wikipedia to delete the entry for lacking sources, he was surprised when The Telegraph used Wikipedia as its source, and Wikipedia later cited that same Telegraph article, creating a circular reference. Consequently, the incorrect nickname spread to several major newspapers and even appeared in a University of Chicago‑published book.

3 Edward Owens

Don’t confuse him with Jar’Edo Wens! Edward Owens was a fictional pirate conjured by George Mason University students for a 2008 “Lying about the Past” course taught by Professor T. Miles Kelly. The class created a website, videos, and a fake Wikipedia page claiming Owens was an oyster fisherman turned pirate during “The Long Depression” of the late 1800s. Several blogs—including one linked to USA Today—reported the hoax as factual, but the perpetrators later admitted the deceit. Kelly revisited the concept in 2012, this time fabricating “Lisa Quinn,” a woman who believed her uncle was a serial killer based on strange items found in his trunk. The students produced authentic‑looking Wikipedia articles for four women murdered in New York between 1895‑1897. The ruse unraveled when the hoax was posted to Reddit; within 26 minutes users flagged it as viral marketing, noting the newly created articles and artificially aged documents.

2 John Seigenthaler

In May 2005 an anonymous editor—identified only by an IP address—added a Wikipedia article claiming journalist John Seigenthaler was a suspect in the murders of both John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. In reality, Seigenthaler was a close friend of Robert Kennedy and even served as a pallbearer at his funeral. The false article remained live until November 2005 when a friend of Seigenthaler spotted it and alerted him. He described the incident in USA Today as “internet character assassination,” labeling the perpetrator’s mind as “sick” and “twisted.” The controversy sparked national debate about the reliability of user‑generated content. In December, deliveryman Brian Chase revealed he authored the hoax, admitting he thought Wikipedia was a “gag encyclopedia.”

1 Chris Benoit

In June 2007 Canadian WWE wrestler Chris Benoit murdered his wife, his son, and then himself in a tragic double‑murder‑suicide. Remarkably, about fourteen hours before police uncovered the crime, a Wikipedia editor from Stamford, Connecticut—just three miles from WWE headquarters—edited Benoit’s page to suggest he missed a WWE event because of “the death of his wife Nancy.” The 19‑year‑old editor, a known wrestling‑fan vandal, later posted a lengthy apology on a Wikinews forum, calling the edit an “incredible coincidence” based on rumors and speculation, insisting the comment wasn’t a prank. Police interviewed him and examined his computer. The episode serves as a stark reminder: regardless of motive, vandalizing Wikipedia can have unforeseen, serious consequences.

About the Author: Izak Bulten is an animator and amateur film historian who loves writing about conspiracy theories, pop culture, and “crazy‑but‑true” stories. He’s created logic puzzles for World Sudoku Champion Thomas Synder’s blog, “The Art of Puzzles,” and authored the e‑book “The Puzzlemaster’s Workshop.” Recently, he’s been covering animation news on his blog “The Magic Lantern Show.”

When you think of the medieval era, you might picture chivalry and castles, but the reality was often far messier. In fact, the continent was peppered with a handful of particularly audacious scoundrels. These 10 notorious rogues left a trail of terror, loot, and legend across Europe, proving that lawlessness could be as organized as any royal army.

Why These 10 Notorious Rogues Matter

Each of these villains exploited the cracks in feudal authority, turning chaos into personal empire. Their stories reveal how mercenary bands, pirate crews, and renegade nobles could rival kings, and why their names still echo in the annals of history.

10 Seguin De Badefol

Seguin de Badefol first surfaces in the chronicles as a hired sword for King John II of France. After the French king suffered defeat at the hands of the Black Prince at Poitiers, a peace treaty forced the dismissal of the royal mercenaries, leaving men of war without pay.

Rather than disperse, the bands simply morphed into marauding gangs. Badefol commanded the Margot, a formidable troupe that could muster up to two thousand men. His signature extortion scheme involved seizing a town, then demanding a hefty “leave‑our‑city” fee from its inhabitants.

When the crown finally sent an army in 1362, Badefol cleverly united the scattered companies into a single “Great Company” and crushed the royal force at the Battle of Brignais. The victory gave him free reign over eastern France, and his reign ended four years later when a poisoned quince, intended as tribute from the ruthless Charles “the Bad” of Navarre, claimed his life.

9 Geoffrey Of Mandeville

After King Henry I died without a male heir, the English throne became contested between his daughter, Empress Matilda, and Stephen of Blois. The resulting civil war—known as the Anarchy—left law and order in tatters across the realm.

Amid the turmoil, Geoffrey of Mandeville, a noble from East Anglia, rose to notoriety. Stephen initially rewarded him with the earldom of Essex for his support, but Geoffrey quickly switched sides, accepting Matilda’s promise of near‑unlimited authority over Essex. He later defected back to Stephen, trading his new lands for control of Middlesex and Hertfordshire.In 1143, Stephen attempted to curb Geoffrey’s ambitions, but the earl fled into the marshy fens of East Anglia, establishing a fortified base on the Isle of Ely. From there he launched raids, burning villages and terrorizing the countryside until an arrow struck him during a minor skirmish in 1144, ending his violent career.

8 Robert Fitz Hubert

During the Anarchy, King Stephen bolstered his forces with Flemish sellswords, a group that quickly earned a reputation for cruelty. Among them, the ferocious Robert Fitz Hubert stood out as perhaps the most brutal.

Robert arrived on English soil in 1139, but instead of entering Stephen’s service, he immediately seized Malmesbury Castle for himself. After Stephen expelled him, the mercenary turned to Matilda, offering his band for hire.

Not content with short‑term contracts, Robert slipped away from Matilda’s army and, in a daring nocturnal assault, captured Devizes Castle. He then summoned additional Flemish knights and embarked on a campaign to carve out a petty kingdom between Winchester and London. His ambitions were thwarted when John the Marshal tricked him into a false surrender, only to slam the castle gate shut as Robert entered, leading to his execution by hanging.

7 Eustace The Monk

At the height of his notoriety, Eustace the Monk was whispered about as a sorcerer‑like figure. Originally a monk, he fell from grace, was declared an outlaw, and fled to the English Channel where he became the era’s most infamous pirate.

Eustace proved a master of naval warfare, earning the attention of King John of England, who hired his fleet to wrest the Channel Islands from French control. Using the isle of Sark as a base, he raided the Norman coast and even ventured down the Seine for daring plunders.

In 1212, Eustace switched allegiance to the French, but his fleet met a brutal English counter‑attack in 1217. The English sailors hurled quicklime onto the enemy vessels, blinding crews and forcing a chaotic melee. Eustace was discovered hiding in the bilge of his own ship and was beheaded, condemned as “a traitor to the king and a most wicked pirate.”

6 Owain Red Hand

Owain Lawgoch, known as the “Red Hand,” was the last male‑line descendant of the ancient Welsh kings of Gwynedd and a celebrated warrior of the fourteenth century. Determined to reclaim his ancestral throne, he launched two separate invasions that sent shockwaves through England.

The first fleet was thwarted by a violent storm that prevented a landing, while the second expedition was diverted to aid the French king. When not attempting to seize Wales, Owain fought for France during the Hundred Years’ War, leading a company of Welsh mercenaries against Pedro the Cruel of Castile.

In 1375, he headed the Guglers—an immense mercenary army that marched into Switzerland—only to be ambushed in a night attack by enraged Swiss citizens. His life ended in 1378 when an English undercover agent assassinated him, ending the last hope of a Welsh royal resurgence.

5 Roger De Flor

Roger de Flor began his career as a member of the Knights Templar, but his disgraceful conduct during the Siege of Acre—where he commandeered a Templar galley and extorted exorbitant fees from civilians fleeing to Cyprus—earned him expulsion from the order.

After a stint as a pirate, Roger seized an opportunity when the king of Aragon dismissed thousands of soldiers following a peace treaty in 1302. He recruited roughly six thousand hardened fighters into a mercenary force known as the Catalan Company and secured a lucrative contract with the Byzantine emperor.

The Catalans achieved modest success against the Turks but quickly turned to looting Byzantine lands and clashing with imperial troops. Roger’s ambitions grew as he plotted to carve out his own kingdom in Anatolia. The Byzantines, branding him a bandit, assassinated him in 1305, ending his turbulent quest for power.

4 The Catalan Company

After Roger de Flor’s murder, the Byzantine Empire dispatched an army to eradicate his mercenaries. Though outnumbered, the veteran Catalan Company turned the tables, crushing the imperial forces at the Battle of Apros in 1305.

Following a rather feeble attempt to blockade Constantinople, the Company crossed into Greece, where the Duke of Athens recognized the threat they posed. He cleverly offered to hire the Catalans, hoping to redirect their ferocity.

The mercenaries seized extensive territories for the duke, but payment never arrived. In a bid to split the Company, the duke promised full wages and land to 500 Catalans who would turn against their comrades. Those 500 accepted the bribe, yet instead of betraying the rest, they secured their own share and delivered a stunning victory over the duke’s larger army, establishing a petty kingdom in Greece that endured for eight decades.

3 Adam The Leper

Mid‑fourteenth‑century England endured a wave of urban crime so severe that even the Black Prince’s servants were once ambushed, beaten, and robbed while buying food. The most infamous gang leader of this era was Adam the Leper, whose crew habitually targeted royal officials and wealthy merchants.

Adam’s most daring caper involved learning that Queen Philippa had entrusted a local merchant with a cache of valuable jewelry. The leper’s band surrounded the merchant’s house, demanding the jewels be handed over.

The merchant, refusing to surrender, fought back fiercely, repelling several assaults. Frustrated, Adam set the building ablaze, forcing the terrified merchant and his family to scramble for escape. In the chaos, Adam’s men held the flames at bay, compelling the merchant to surrender the precious gems. Remarkably, historical records suggest Adam escaped any punishment for this audacious theft.

2 Momcilo

Hajduk Momcilo rose from humble beginnings to become a feared Bulgarian brigand, commanding a personal army of peasants in the rugged Rhodope Mountains. Though he briefly served Stefan Dušan of Serbia, Momcilo truly came into his own during the Byzantine Civil War of 1341‑1347.

His reputation for backstabbing is legendary: he switched allegiances three consecutive years—1343, 1344, and 1345—playing both sides of the conflict to cement his own power in the contested borderlands.

Momcilo’s growing influence alarmed both the Byzantines and the emerging Ottoman Turks, prompting a joint assault on his stronghold at Peritheorion. Anticipating the tide turning against him, the city’s inhabitants locked his forces out of the gates, leading to his defeat and death at the hands of his own adversaries.

1 The Archpriest

Arnaud de Cervole, known as the Archpriest of Velines, abandoned clerical life for the chaotic world of mercenary warfare. After the Battle of Poitiers, he quickly realized that the weakened French crown could no longer contain the roaming bands of soldiers‑for‑hire.

He assembled the first “Great Company,” leading his troops into Provence, a region that had largely escaped the war’s devastation. Within months, his forces turned the once‑peaceful province into a scorched wasteland, even laying siege to Marseille with a force of three thousand men—though the city managed to hold out.

In 1358, the Archpriest cemented his notoriety by effectively holding the Pope hostage: he surrounded the Papal seat in Avignon and demanded a ransom of twenty‑thousand florins to withdraw his men. After extracting the payment, he returned to conventional mercenary work, joining the royal army that later suffered defeat at the Battle of Brignais at the hands of Seguin de Badefol’s raiders.

By 1365, Arnaud was hired to lead a crusade against the Turks—a venture whose true purpose was to remove his unruly band from French soil. During a heated dispute over supplies, he was stabbed to death, ending the career of one of medieval Europe’s most infamous mercenary leaders.

10 notorious interesting moments have left an indelible mark on gaming history, turning heads and sparking heated debates. The world of video games is an endlessly fascinating place, especially when you peek behind the curtain and learn its inner workings. Controversy is no stranger to video games, whether it’s attributed to a specific title or the people who made it. In this list, we’ll be running down some fascinating examples of various times the gaming industry was making headlines but for all the wrong reasons.

10 The Last Of Us Part II Leaks

Honestly, we could just mention the title The Last of Us Part II, end this paragraph early, and just assume the comment section is already in flames. Whether you love it or hate it, the follow‑up to Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog’s 2013 smash hit, The Last of Us, is still a point of contention for many fans.

Not helping matters were the leaks before the game’s release back in April 2020, just two months before the game’s official release. On April 27, a leaker took to the internet and dropped over an hour of gameplay and cutscenes, spoiling some big reveals and moments from the impending sequel. These spoilers not only included the switch to the secondary protagonist of Abby partway through the game but the death of Joel as well! With these rather major reveals let loose on the web, many passionate fans quickly began voicing their displeasure with Naughty Dog’s creative choices.

Despite Naughty Dog’s best efforts to extinguish the fire, the damage had already been done, casting a dark shadow over the once highly anticipated sequel. Despite these leaks, the game still went on to garner solid critical praise, as well as selling over four million copies in three days.

9 The Mass Effect 3 Ending

If one were to harness the concentrated rage directed at BioWare in 2012, you could probably use it to power a small country for over a thousand years. For those of you not familiar, back in 2012, the hype for the third installment of the Mass Effect series couldn’t have been more rabid. What amplified the anticipation was the “Choose your own adventure” tinted nature of the game’s ongoing narrative. From the customizable appearance of the lead character, Commander Shepard, to the way the player chooses to engage with the plot and characters, the experience is beyond immersive.

So upon reaching Mass Effect 3’s ending and discovering that their various decisions over the past few years meant next to nothing, people were beyond disappointed and betrayed. For something this underwhelming and lazy to be presented as the finale to such a lauded franchise resulted in quite the backlash to be sure. Bloodthirsty fans look to the web to voice their displeasure, even going as far as to craft petitions for BioWare to change the ending.

Overwhelmed by the backlash, BioWare opted to release the Extended Cut DLC, to expand on the previously released ending. While this redux did resolve some lingering plot and character threads, it still wasn’t enough to satisfy the fans.

8 The False Advertisement of No Man’s Sky

There have been many instances in the video game industry of a highly anticipated project simply not living up to fan’s expectations. A major example of this is No Man’s Sky, released in 2016, and the allegations of false advertisement thrown at it following its launch.

For content, the advertisements of No Man’s Sky very much made it look like a next‑level science‑fiction game experience. Not only did the marketing lead players to believe that the game would be teeming with diverse planets, wildlife, and deep exploration possibilities, as well as multiplayer functionality. Needless to say, players were very excited to play the game and explore every inch of its allegedly lavish and diverse world.

Unfortunately, when people bought the game on its release day, they were met with a game that was a far cry from what was promised. Not only was the promised multiplayer functionality absent, but the planets in the actual game were not as diverse and immersive as initially promised. Hello Games and its founder, Sean Murray, were soon swept up in a tidal wave of backlash and criticism from the gaming community, many of whom felt cheated and lied to. It got to the point where Hello Games needed to publicly address the disconnect between the marketing and the disappointing final product.

7 Star Wars Battlefront II Microtransactions

In the world of modern gaming, one of the more frustrating developments has been the genesis of microtransactions within major titles. This refers to a business model where users can purchase in‑game virtual goods – such as weapons, skins, and rare items – with micropayments. This means that many players can simply buy their way to a higher level in a certain game without progressing via their skill.

Nowhere was the inclusion of this aggravating trend more prevalent than when it came to Star Wars Battlefront II, published by Electronic Arts (EA). The game was heavily predicated on a loot box system, which effectively hinged the gameplay on a pay‑to‑win‑based mechanic. When beta players realized that buying these loot boxes was integral to progressing in the game, it wasn’t too long before the backlash began. EA even found themselves under investigation by the likes of Belgium and the Netherlands as to whether the loot box mechanic constituted a form of illegal gambling.

Eventually, EA was forced to temporarily remove microtransactions from Battlefront just before its official release. They later reintroduced a revised gameplay system wherein the loot boxes were only for cosmetic upgrades. The whole debacle served as a harsh reminder that the modern consumer, especially in gaming, won’t blindly accept predatory microtransactions in their AAA titles.

6 The Cyberpunk 2077 Launch

Following the success of The Witcher games, hardcore gamers were ready for whatever CD Projekt Red, the studio behind them, had in store next. So when it was announced that they’d be adapting Mike Pondsmith’s Cyberpunk tabletop RPG series into their next title, fans were ecstatic.

Despite being announced in the early 2010s, Cyberpunk 2077 wouldn’t arrive on store shelves until late 2022, the release date having been delayed several times. However, when console users, specifically PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners, popped the game in on launch day the disappointment was almost instant. Players quickly ran into a downpour of technical problems, including crashes, low frame rates, and graphical glitches that made the game borderline unplayable for some. Additionally, players were also dissatisfied with the lack of deeper customization, the shallow NPC interactions, and the incomplete open world.

This couldn’t have fallen further from the mark of what was originally advertised, which made the game out to be a visually stunning and fast‑paced gaming experience. CD Projekt Red was severely criticized for putting out a game that, from a programming perspective, was as unstable as a house of cards. Not only that but their stock price sharply plummeted following the launch of the game, even offering refunds to dissatisfied players.

5 Ubisoft Workplace Misconduct

No industry has been untouched by the Me Too movement which picked up steam in the late 2010s, especially the gaming industry. A major example of this was a major scandal in 2020 surrounding allegations of workplace misconduct within the walls of Ubisoft. Things kicked off when numerous reports began to surface regarding the toxic behavior of several high‑profile Ubisoft executives and employees.

Before too long, multiple current and former female employees were coming forward with stories of mistreatment and harassment within the company. The stories ran the gamut of heinous actions, ranging from inappropriate verbal comments and behavior to several instances of assault and systemic sexism. These revelations led to the resignation or dismissal of several key figures within Ubisoft, including the chief creative officer, Serge Hascoët. Another key figure who found himself out of a job was the managing director of Ubisoft’s Canadian studios, Yannis Mallat.

Many current and former employees, publicly expressed disappointment and ample frustration with Ubisoft’s lack of accountability and transparency. Following this, Ubisoft opted to launch internal investigations, as well as implement changes to foster a safer environment and a more respectful workplace culture. The whole incident stands as a harsh reminder of how grimy the gaming industry can be and what needs to be done to improve it.

4 Rockstar’s Infamous “Hot Coffee” Mod

When it comes to controversies within the gaming world, you can always count on the Grand Theft Auto franchise to provide more than a few. The irreverent and hyper‑violent crime‑based action‑adventure games have always had a knack for making it into mainstream news headlines. Whenever there’s a discussion about violence in video games corrupting the youth, GTA has more often than not been a poster child for that claim.

However, the most noteworthy scandal revolving around the franchise came in the form of a minigame found in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. In 2005, following its release, players who dug into the programming made a rather raunchy discovery, a hidden minigame buried in the game’s code. The game, now referred to as Hot Coffee, allowed the player to control the main character, CJ, as he engaged in aggressive sex acts with various women. The name itself is derived from CJ’s girlfriends asking him “Do you want to come inside for some coffee?” before the minigame starts.

While some fans might’ve been entertained by this discovery, it wasn’t too long before Hot Coffee was a source of major controversy. Rockstar Games and, their parent company, Take‑Two Interactive were hit with a slew of lawsuits and fines, including a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

3 Blizzard’s Hong Kong Controversy

To understand the 2019 Blizzard Hong Kong Controversy, we must first quickly explain the game Hearthstone, one of the company’s flagship titles. Hearthstone is a free‑to‑play digital collectible card game where players build decks composed of different creatures, spells, and abilities from the Warcraft universe. The game became so popular that many skilled players have gone pro, even showcasing their prowess on highly touted tournament livestreams.

This leads us to the aforementioned controversy that began when a professional Hearthstone player, Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai, used said platform to signal‑boost the Hong Kong protests. Blitzchung opted to wear a gas mask, a symbol of the then‑ongoing protests, and shout a slogan calling for Hong Kong’s liberation during a post‑match interview. This resulted in Blizzard banning Blitzchung from competitive play for a full year and revoking his prize money.

This decision kicked off an influx of outrage from fans, fellow pro players, and human rights organizations around the world. Many were incensed that Blizzard would punish a player so harshly, simply to appease the often stringent Chinese government. Blizzard soon had fans boycotting all of their game titles, as well as their employees staging walkouts and protests within their offices. Eventually, Blizzard relented and reversed the ban they’d placed on Blitzchng, even returning his prize money as well.

2 Bethesda’s Fallout 76 Launch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9FGaan35s0

It’s a bit hard to properly summarize just how passionate Fallout fans are about the still‑ongoing post‑apocalyptic game series. From its retro‑futuristic style to its extremely immersive gameplay, when there is some new brewing in the Fallout universe people’s expectations are usually pretty high. So, when Fallout 76 was announced, especially following the success of Fallout 4, the anticipation train was right on track.

So, when the game finally arrived in November 2018, you can imagine fans’ disappointment when they discovered the subpar quality of the released game. While bugs on a game’s initial launch day are to be expected, players dealt with a staggering amount of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that hindered gameplay. These issues included server instability, frequent crashes, graphics issues, and even side‑missions that were broken or just flat‑out unfinishable. Additionally, the game itself was just devoid of any real substance, especially compared to prior Fallout games, lacking meaningful quests, NPCs, or storylines.

In response, Bethesda, the game’s publisher, had no choice but to issue an apology, as well as address the technical issues with a series of patches and updates. Regardless of where the Fallout series goes next, this entry will likely always be regarded as its lowest point.

1 GamerGate

Dread it, run from it, GameGate arrives all the same. Given the subject matter of this list, it was only a matter of time before we discussed one of gaming’s most volatile periods. Several years on, people are still analyzing and unpacking GameGate, the problematic online movement wherein female game developers and players were hit with targeted abuse and harassment. 

The whole thing was spurred on by allegations surrounding Zoe Quinn, a female indie game developer. It was rumored that Quinn had engaged in a romantic relationship with a gaming journalist for positive coverage of her game. Despite these claims being largely baseless, many gamers believed it and went to work on attacking Quinn online and defaming her character. From there, the whole situation only got worse, with more developers and journalists, including Anita Sarkeesian and Brianna Wu, finding themselves the target of harassment campaigns. This harassment even escalated beyond hateful online comments with reported incidents including threats of violence, and even public doxxings of private information.

The whole thing served to highlight many of the deep‑seated issues within gaming culture, including sexism, racism, and homophobia. Even now, people are still unpacking the shameful fallout of GameGate and how gaming culture can move forward and improve.

The world of publishing is far from a quiet library aisle; it’s a battlefield where truth, art, and profit clash in spectacular fashion. Here are 10 notorious noteworthy publishing controversies that have set tongues wagging, lawsuits flying, and readers rethinking the books they love.

10 Notorious Noteworthy Publishing Controversies

When James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces landed on shelves in April 2003, nobody could have guessed the storm it would unleash. Marketed as a raw memoir of addiction and rehab, the book quickly became an Oprah’s Book Club darling, catapulting it to the top of Amazon and The New York Times bestseller list for fifteen weeks.

The turning point arrived when The Smoking Gun published a piece titled A Million Little Lies, exposing a litany of fabrications. Frey had exaggerated or outright invented many of the events he described. The revelation forced Doubleday and Anchor Books, the publishers, to issue public statements, and sparked outrage from figures like chef Anthony Bourdain, who called the memoir “morally repugnant.”

9 Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses

Published in 1988, Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses blended magical realism with a controversial portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad. The novel’s daring narrative, featuring two Indian expatriates, quickly drew accusations of blasphemy from many Muslims.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s assassination. The book faced bans in several countries, and Rushdie lived under police protection for nearly a decade, constantly changing residences to stay safe.

8 J.D. Salinger’s Unauthorized Sequel

J.D. Salinger’s iconic The Catcher in the Rye inspired a bold, unauthorized sequel titled 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye, penned by John David California (aka Fredrik Colting) in 2009. The novel follows an elderly Holden Caulfield escaping a retirement home.

Salinger sued, arguing that the sequel infringed on his copyright and exploited Holden’s character. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted a permanent injunction, blocking official U.S. publication, though Colting later appealed the decision.

7 Maus by Art Spiegelman

Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus recounts his father’s Holocaust survival using mice for Jews and cats for Nazis. While praised for its powerful storytelling, the animal allegory sparked criticism for potentially reinforcing stereotypes.

Controversy intensified when schools and public libraries, especially in Tennessee, banned the book due to its graphic violence, nudity, and strong language. Despite bans, the work’s reputation grew, encouraging readers to confront Holocaust history.

6 American Dirt Controversy

Jeanine Cummins’ 2020 novel American Dirt follows a Mexican mother fleeing cartel violence with her son. While marketed as a thriller, critics condemned the book for cultural appropriation, arguing Cummins—who identified as white—misrepresented Mexican experiences and perpetuated stereotypes.

The uproar peaked when Oprah selected the novel for her book club, amplifying the debate over authentic representation in literature.

5 Amazon vs. Hachette Book Group

In 2014, Amazon pressured Hachette to lower e‑book prices, delaying physical shipments and removing pre‑order options for new titles. The move sparked accusations of bullying, leaving many Hachette authors caught in the crossfire.

After a protracted battle, the two parties reached a multi‑year agreement, though the specifics remain confidential.

4 The Da Vinci Code Plagiarism Allegations

Dan Brown’s 2003 bestseller The Da Vinci Code sold over 80 million copies worldwide. However, authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh sued, claiming Brown copied ideas from their 1982 work Holy Blood, Holy Grail, which also explored alleged descendants of Jesus.

Brown acknowledged influence but argued the book was fiction. The court ultimately ruled in his favor, stating that the historical ideas were not protected by copyright.

3 The Bell Curve

Published in 1994, The Bell Curve by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray argued that IQ tests predict educational, occupational, and socioeconomic outcomes, and controversially suggested racial differences in intelligence.

The book faced fierce backlash for promoting pseudo‑scientific racism, with critics warning it could justify discrimination and undermine social welfare programs. Universities even faced pressure to cancel speaking events featuring the authors.

2 J.K. Rowling’s Transgender Comments

In 2019, J.K. Rowling sparked outrage by supporting a researcher who claimed biological sex is immutable, leading many to label her remarks as transphobic. The controversy deepened in 2020 when she published an essay warning that transgender activism could threaten women’s safety, especially in public bathrooms.

The backlash came from LGBTQ+ advocates, fans, and fellow authors, but Rowling remained unapologetic, stating she didn’t care about the impact on her legacy.

1 Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman

Harper Lee’s 2015 release Go Set a Watchman—written before To Kill a Mockingbird—portrayed the beloved Atticus Finch as a segregationist, shocking readers who cherished his moral heroism.

Speculation grew that Lee, whose health was declining, was pressured into publishing the manuscript, especially after her lawyer made dubious claims about her consent. The controversy sparked debate over authorial intent and literary legacy.

When we hear the phrase 10 notorious medieval gangsters, images of modern street crews rarely come to mind. Yet the Middle Ages were teeming with ruthless families, outlaws, and power‑hungry courtiers who ran their own shadowy empires. From crafty bandits stealing royal jewels to noblemen who turned rebellion into a lucrative side‑business, these ten characters proved that crime was as much a part of medieval life as chivalry and cathedral building.

10 Notorious Medieval Gangsters Unveiled

10 The Waraunt Family

Some criminal crews were nothing more than a tight‑knit family trying to stay afloat in a harsh world, and the Waraunts epitomized that model. Four siblings—Matilda, Margery, Richard, and a brother—joined forces with an additional male relative, forming a little clan that repeatedly slipped through the justice system while amassing a modest fortune by medieval standards.

The earliest record dates to 1321, when three of the siblings—Matilda, Margery, and Richard—were accused of receiving stolen goods. They escaped punishment, and the fourth sibling faced a similar charge later that year. While the exact value of the loot remains unknown, the family’s criminal streak continued unabated.

The turning point arrived when John Waraunt was convicted of stealing clothing and household items valued at eight shillings. To put that in perspective, a laborer in 1331 earned roughly three pennies a day; twelve pennies made a shilling, so eight shillings equaled about a month’s wages. John was hanged for the theft.

Undeterred, the remaining Waraunts kept pilfering. In 1325 they were imprisoned for allegedly stealing cloth worth 60 shillings, yet they avoided conviction despite the threat of forte et dure—a brutal form of torture. They were acquitted of a 32‑cloth theft in 1326, and later that year two sisters were cleared of a 40‑shilling accusation. By the end of their recorded saga, the family had pilfered the equivalent of over a year and a half’s wages and largely escaped lasting punishment.

9 Malcolm Musard

The first mention of Malcolm Musard appears on 13 February 1296, when he and several companions were caught trespassing in a royal forest while en route to join the king’s Scottish campaign. Likely in his early twenties, this incident marked the beginning of a life spent skirting the law.

Following his father’s death in 1300, Malcolm inherited lands in Worcestershire and quickly turned his sword into a profit‑making tool. By 1304 he and his gang were hired to assault a rectory, a line of work they would repeat for years. Accused of “many felonies, robberies and homicides” in the early 1300s, the group fled Worcestershire, only to be pursued again in 1316 when the king ordered an inquiry into Malcolm’s “diverse crimes” across Worcestershire and Warwickshire. He received a royal pardon in 1318.

Malcolm’s criminal career continued: arrested in 1323 for allegedly aiding the Marcher Lords’ rebellion, he was released in 1326 and formally pardoned for all outlawry in Worcester. Yet the pattern persisted—when Queen Isabella deposed Edward II in 1327, she ordered his arrest for theft, only for him to be freed again after Edward III’s 1330 pardon. His story illustrates a relentless cycle of crime, capture, and royal clemency.

8 Fulk FitzWarin

Not every outlaw chose the path of crime; some were forced into it. Fulk FitzWarin found himself at odds with King John after the crown granted the Whittington estate to a Welsh rival, despite Fulk having paid £100 for it and his father having fought for the property.

Refusing to accept the royal decision, Fulk rallied his brothers—William, Philip, and John—along with tenants and ambitious knights in 1200, forming a 52‑strong guerrilla band against the crown. Declared outlaws, they persisted for three years, even confronting Hubert de Burgh’s 100‑man force. By November 1203 the king relented, paying Fulk 200 marks and restoring Whittington. Thereafter, Fulk resumed a respectable noble life, living until 1258 and later acting as a trusted mediator in Welsh disputes, demonstrating how a brief outlaw stint could segue back into aristocratic respectability.

7 The Folvilles

In medieval England, primogeniture meant only the eldest son inherited the family estate, while younger brothers often sought fortunes as knights or mercenaries. Some, however, turned to a life of crime. The Folville clan embodied this divergence. The eldest brother, John Folville, kept a respectable noble façade, but his younger siblings—Eustace, Robert, Walter, and Richard—formed a violent mercenary band that operated beyond the law, especially when family interests were threatened.

In 1326, after Baron of the Exchequer Roger de Beler threatened the family, Eustace led a 50‑man force to capture and kill de Beler on a road. A warrant followed, prompting the Folvilles to flee to Queen Isabella’s continental army, which was preparing to depose King Edward II. Their participation earned them a royal pardon after the successful coup.

Back in England, the Folvilles became hired thugs, targeting the lands of those who had wronged them, such as Henry de Beaumont. Their notoriety grew when they seized judge Richard Willoughby, ransoming him for 1,300 marks—a staggering sum—after he attempted to convict them. Aligning with the infamous Coterel gang, they roamed Derbyshire openly armed, threatening travelers and committing systematic extortion.

When Edward III needed warriors for the Scottish wars, the Folvilles were recruited, fighting the Scots between 1337‑1338. In return, they received a full pardon, allowing them to evade any legal consequences for their prior misdeeds.

6 John Fitzwalter

John Fitzwalter, a powerful Essex magnate and close kin to the de Clare family, exemplified noble privilege run amok. He treated Essex as his personal fiefdom, wielding enough influence that even royal justices hesitated to prosecute him.

His criminal résumé began in 1340 when he joined a gang that broke into John de Seagrave’s park, hunting and vandalising the property. Soon, Fitzwalter’s own gang engaged in cattle‑rustling, extortion, and the outright theft of merchant goods, while consistently refusing to settle debts or rents owed to others.

Tensions peaked when men from Colchester raided one of Fitzwalter’s parks, looted it, and killed a member of his retinue—likely a retaliation. In response, Fitzwalter mobilised his forces, manipulated juries, assaulted non‑compliant jurors, and laid siege to the town, using salvaged wooden beams as weapons and blocking all entry and exit routes.

King Edward III finally intervened in 1351, commissioning a peace commission to investigate Fitzwalter’s crimes. An arrest warrant led to his imprisonment in the Tower of London for a year and the confiscation of his entire estate. Though eventually released and granted a royal pardon, he was ordered to pay a £847 fine—an amount many lower‑rank knights would never earn in a lifetime. He dutifully paid the fine in installments until his death a decade later, marking the end of his notorious career.

5 The Despensers

The Despenser duo—Hugh the Younger and his father—were more than ordinary thugs; they were master manipulators who, at the height of their power, effectively controlled King Edward II. By exploiting their courtly positions, they bullied nobles, seized lands, and amassed wealth, prompting a civil war that ultimately toppled them.

In 1317 Hugh Despenser the Younger became royal chamberlain, a role granting him direct access to the king. By 1320 he was Edward’s closest confidant, second only to the queen, Isabella. With this influence, he began extorting lands and titles from nobles at an alarming rate, consolidating his family’s grip on power.

Their overreach alarmed the aristocracy, leading to open rebellion in 1321. The rebels demanded limits on royal authority and the removal of the Despensers. Their plea was crushed at the Battle of Boroughbridge, allowing the Despensers four years of unchecked rule.

During this period, Hugh and his father systematically abused royal authority: imprisoning opponents until they surrendered charters, steering the king’s favour against rivals such as Roger Mortimer, and monopolising the monarch’s audience—preventing even the queen from meeting Edward without Despenser presence.

Their tyranny sparked nationwide outrage. When Queen Isabella finally landed with an invading force, demanding the Despensers’ removal, Edward’s reign collapsed. Within two months, Hugh and his father were captured. The elder Despenser was gruesomely dismembered and fed to dogs; Hugh met a horrific end—hanged from a 50‑foot pole, forced to wear his coat of arms upside down, then castrated and disemboweled.

4 Adam The Leper

While many medieval bandits roamed the countryside, some targeted bustling towns. Adam the Leper headed one such urban gang, recorded on page 245 of A History of Crime in England. His crew learned that a merchant, employed by Queen Philippa of Hainault, was safeguarding valuable jewels in his London home.

Seizing the opportunity, Adam led his men to the merchant’s residence after dark, barricading the owner inside and demanding the jewels. When the merchant refused, the gang set fire to the house, reduced it to ashes, and absconded with the treasure regardless.

Beyond this dramatic heist, little else is documented about Adam. He appears to have evaded punishment, living another two decades, likely heading a street‑level gang that specialized in similar robberies—most of which never entered the historical record because they didn’t involve high‑profile victims.

3 1276)

Roger Godberd is frequently cited as a possible inspiration for the Robin Hood legend. Operating around Sherwood Forest, he was indeed an outlaw, but his deeds differ markedly from the merry‑men of folklore.

Legal records show that Godberd once assaulted a tenant, Jordan le Fleming, forcibly evicting him from a ten‑year tenancy after just a year and seizing some of his belongings. He was also accused of poaching venison in Sherwood in 1264. By 1266, he had taken a charter from the convent at Garendon at swordpoint, then compelled the monks to sign a document absolving him of the theft. That same year, the king granted him a royal pardon, citing “good behaviour.”

Despite the pardon, Godberd continued his criminal career. In 1270 he was charged with robbery and, by then, led a band of outlaws in Leicester, Nottingham, and Wiltshire. He was imprisoned in Nottingham Castle but escaped with aid from a knight named Richard Folyot. Later, he faced trial at Bridgnorth Castle in 1275, presenting his earlier royal pardon as defense. Sources diverge on his fate: some claim he died in prison the following year, while others suggest he lived for another two decades.

2 The Coterels

The Coterel brothers—James, Nicholas, and John—mirrored the Folvilles in both era and geography, collaborating in the kidnapping and ransom of royal judge Richard Willoughby. Their lineage traced back to Ralph Coterel, a Derbyshire landowner.

Their first appearance came during the 1322 rebellion of the Earl of Lancaster, where they fought alongside his forces against King Edward II. As royal authority waned, the Coterels expanded, protected by the priors of Lichfield, rendering them virtually untouchable. By 1330 they had raided the estate of Henry Lancaster, a powerful royal relative, and were listed as wanted for murder.

In a surprising twist, Queen Philippa extended protection to James Coterel, even assisting him in purchasing land in 1332 despite his ongoing criminal ventures. When war erupted between England and Scotland, a royal commission investigating their crimes was abruptly halted. In 1338 the Coterels were summoned to join the king’s army in Flanders, a request they gladly accepted.

Their military service paved the way for a full pardon in 1351. By then, James served as a tax collector for Lenton Priory, while Nicholas held the position of royal bailiff. The final record of James notes a debt of over £100 owed to the Folville gang, but his exact date of death remains unknown.

1 Johnnie Armstrong

John Armstrong, better known as Johnnie, was a border‑land raider and nobleman who commanded two forts in the contested region between England and Scotland. From roughly 1520 to 1530, his organized gang terrorised settlements on both sides, extorting villages, stealing livestock, and torching homes when victims refused to pay.

Although his criminal record was extensive, Armstrong officially served as a vassal to the Scottish Lord of the West March, Lord Maxwell, who shielded him from English attempts at prosecution. Frustrated, English Lord Dacre led an expedition that burned Armstrong’s property at Cannonby.

Political pressure eventually forced Scottish Lord Angus to declare Armstrong and his men outlaws. While Angus struggled to muster an army against them, the tide turned in 1530 when King James V of Scotland, determined to purge banditry, lured Armstrong into a meeting and ordered his execution. Armstrong and his 24 followers were hanged, despite his pleas and promises to make northern English men pay their yearly rents.

From prison gangs and extortion rackets to neo‑Nazi cells, the United States hosts a wide spectrum of criminal groups and organizations. Though they rarely dominate headlines, these 10 notorious gangs continue to pose a serious challenge to the nation’s security forces, boasting membership figures that rival those of sizable multinational corporations.

10 Notorious Gangs Overview

10 Jewish Defense League

The Jewish Defense League has been labeled by the FBI as a far‑right terrorist organization. Founded in 1968 by Rabbi Meir Kahane, its proclaimed mission was to shield Jews worldwide from anti‑Semitic hostility. The group’s ideology blends Jewish nationalism, territorialism, and a willingness to employ force against perceived enemies. Over the decades, the JDL has been accused of numerous violent acts, ranging from bombings and assassinations to extortion schemes.

Primarily active in the United States and Israel, the JDL first entered the public eye during the 1970s with a series of high‑profile attacks targeting Arab interests both domestically and abroad. Its staunch opposition to the Soviet Union stemmed from the plight of Soviet Jews barred from emigrating to Israel. Despite a relatively modest size, the organization managed to attract a sizable following within the Israeli‑American Jewish community, thanks largely to its aggressive tactics.

9 13

Mara Salvatrucha, better known as MS‑13, emerged in Los Angeles during the 1980s as a protection group for Salvadoran refugees. What began as a community safety network soon morphed into a brutal criminal enterprise involved in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and a host of other illicit activities. Today, the gang operates across the United States as well as in El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.

The gang captured national attention throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, notorious for its ruthless use of machetes and other melee weapons against rivals. Although MS‑13 is relatively small in the U.S., with an estimated 6,000‑10,000 members, its Central American affiliates may swell to as many as 60,000 participants.

8 Vice Lords

Vice Lords Nation was founded in Chicago in 1958 as a community‑based effort aimed at helping African‑American residents overcome poverty and discrimination. Over time, the organization evolved into one of the nation’s largest criminal syndicates, maintaining chapters in virtually every major city and many smaller towns.

The gang’s operations span the Midwest and the South, with membership estimates ranging from 30,000 to 35,000 regular and associate members. Designated a criminal organization by the federal government, the Vice Lords have weathered numerous high‑profile arrests yet remain a powerful force, especially in Chicago.

7 Barrio Azteca

Originating as a prison gang within the El Paso correctional system in 1986, Barrio Azteca—also known as Los Aztecas—has expanded to include roughly 3,000 members across the United States and about 5,000 in the Juárez region of Mexico. Though not massive in size, the group has earned a reputation for extreme violence that frequently spills over the U.S.–Mexico border.

By the early 2000s, Barrio Azteca allied itself with the Juárez Cartel in a bloody conflict against the Sinaloa Cartel. While law‑enforcement actions, including the capture of leader Eduardo Ravelo, have weakened the organization, recent reports suggest a resurgence, particularly in Juárez, where the gang continues to engage in drug smuggling, money laundering, and extortion.

6 Mongols Motorcycle Club

The Mongols Motorcycle Club, founded in Montebello, California during the 1970s, has become a notorious outlaw biker group with a strong presence throughout the Pacific and Southwest United States. Chapters are spread across California, Nevada, Arizona, and additional states, and the club’s membership is predominantly Hispanic, though it also welcomes riders from other ethnic backgrounds.

The Mongols rose to infamy in the 1980s and 1990s, engaging in violent confrontations, most famously a 2002 shootout with rival Hells Angels members in Las Vegas. Despite multiple law‑enforcement crackdowns, the club persists, maintaining ties with Hispanic street gangs throughout Los Angeles and beyond.

5 Crips And Bloods

The Crips and Bloods are two rival street gangs that originated in Los Angeles. While the exact origins are debated, the Crips emerged around 1971 as a neighborhood protection group, prompting the formation of the Bloods in response to the Crips’ growing influence. Both groups have since evolved into expansive criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking, extortion, robbery, and murder.

The rivalry between the Crips and Bloods has sparked countless violent clashes over the years, driven by territorial disputes, reputation, and personal vendettas. Both gangs are instantly recognizable by their distinctive colors, hand signs, and graffiti tags.

The criminal enterprises of the Crips and Bloods have inflicted severe harm on the communities they infiltrate, often endangering innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Despite ongoing law‑enforcement initiatives, the two gangs continue to pose a major public safety challenge in many urban areas of Los Angeles.

4 Latin Kings

Latin Kings were established in Chicago during the 1960s, initially composed mainly of Mexican and Puerto‑Rican youths. The gang has since become involved in a wide array of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, burglary, homicide, identity theft, money laundering, and high‑profile assassinations of law‑enforcement officers across the United States.

The organization first attracted media attention in the 1980s and 1990s, linked to numerous murders and other violent crimes in Chicago. With more than 160 chapters and an estimated 20,000‑35,000 members nationwide, the Latin Kings rank among the largest gangs in the country, maintaining a strong foothold in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

3 Gangster Disciples

Black Gangster Disciple Nation—later shortened to Gangster Disciples—originated in Chicago during the 1960s as a merger between two rival groups led by Larry Hoover and David Barksdale, known as the Black Disciples and Supreme Gangsters. The organization is predominantly African‑American and engages in drug trafficking, extortion, and murder.

While the Gangster Disciples maintain a significant presence in the Midwest, especially Chicago and Detroit, they have also spread to the East Coast and the Southern United States. Recent estimates place their membership between 25,000 and 50,000 individuals across the nation.

2 Aryan Brotherhood

The Aryan Brotherhood began as a white‑supremacist prison gang formed in reaction to race wars with rival black gangs. Over the years, it has grown into one of the most feared criminal entities in the United States, with members often displaying Nazi‑style tattoos and other fascist symbols.

Although the group’s primary activities occur within prison walls, Aryan Brotherhood members also operate on the streets, participating in drug trafficking, extortion, and other violent crimes. While smaller than gangs such as the Mexican Mafia, the Brotherhood remains a potent force in the underworld.

Law‑enforcement agencies have long pursued the Aryan Brotherhood, but its rigid hierarchy and fierce loyalty make infiltration difficult. High‑profile arrests and lengthy prison sentences have been secured against its leaders, yet the organization continues to exert influence across multiple regions of the country.

1 Mexican Mafia

Also known as La Eme or Los Carnales, the Mexican Mafia ranks among the largest prison gangs in the United States, with a presence in more than 13 states. Established in 1957 in Southern California by former street gang member Luis Flores, many early members were leaders of Hispanic street gangs in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.

Today, the organization operates both inside and outside the U.S. prison system, engaging in robbery, extortion, assault, murder, and drug trafficking. Estimates suggest that the gang has roughly 350‑400 members incarcerated in U.S. prisons, complemented by tens of thousands of foot soldiers operating on the streets throughout California and beyond.

Most modern societies rely on police to enforce law, but sometimes the wheels of justice turn too slowly, prompting some individuals to become self‑styled vigilantes. Below are ten notorious cases that illustrate this phenomenon.

10 Notorious Cases Overview

10 Phoenix Jones

Given how wildly popular superhero movies are today, it isn’t a surprise that a few brave souls decided to don masks and capes and hunt crime themselves. The most celebrated of these is Phoenix Jones, the retired alter‑ego of MMA fighter Ben Fodor, who once stalked the streets of Seattle, Washington, on the lookout for lawbreakers.

Fodor’s crusade began in 2011 when he slipped on a ski mask to intervene in a public assault. Over the years his costume evolved from a simple mask to a full‑blown superhero uniform, though he wisely swapped the classic spandex for a bullet‑proof vest and stab‑proof plating. Soon enough, he assembled a mini‑Justice League called the Rain City Superhero Movement. The group patrolled Seattle’s avenues, attempting to scare off crime, while Jones himself often took a more proactive stance, even earning a few police detentions for overzealous use of pepper spray on suspected offenders.

Fodor stepped away from the vigilante scene a few years ago, but his name resurfaced when he was arrested on drug charges for allegedly selling MDMA to an undercover officer.

9 The Alaskan Avenger

Jason Vukovich endured a harrowing childhood in Anchorage, Alaska, where he suffered both physical and sexual abuse at the hands of his stepfather. Like many victims of such trauma, he fled home as a teenager, wandering the country and accumulating a litany of petty crimes. After returning to Alaska as an adult, his brushes with the law persisted.

In 2016 Vukovich decided to turn his fury toward those who had harmed children. He consulted Alaska’s Sex Offender Registry, compiled a short list of three convicted sex offenders, and paid them each a visit in late June. He beat and robbed the first two, but with the third he escalated dramatically, bludgeoning the man unconscious with a hammer while proclaiming himself an “avenging angel.”

Authorities arrested Vukovich shortly thereafter, handing him a 28‑year prison sentence on multiple assault and robbery counts. The case sparked heated debate about the legitimacy of street‑level justice, and a vocal fanbase continues to lobby for a reduced sentence for the self‑styled Alaskan Avenger.

8 The Bald Knobbers

During the 1880s the Ozark region of southwest Missouri was a law‑less frontier. As a border state in the Civil War, Missouri saw a surge of bushwhackers who kept terrorizing the countryside long after the war ended. While infamous outlaws like Jesse James roamed, ordinary citizens demanded protection, leading to the birth of the Bald Knobbers.

Founded by Nat Kinney, the group started as a modest dozen men, but quickly swelled to hundreds, recognizable by their dark hoods tipped with horns. Initially they targeted outlaws and criminals, but as their power grew they became as ruthless as the villains they once hunted, responsible for dozens of killings and countless beat‑downs.

Their reign of terror prompted a counter‑vigilante force known as the Anti‑Bald Knobbers. After a series of arrests, death sentences, and the assassination of Nat Kinney by a rival, the original Bald Knobbers faded away by the decade’s end.

7 The Bamberski Case

In July 1982, Frenchman André Bamberski learned that his teenage daughter Kalinka had died under suspicious circumstances, possibly at the hands of her stepfather, German doctor Dieter Krombach. Determined to seek justice, Bamberski faced a major hurdle: his daughter and the alleged killer lived in different countries.

Bamberski appealed to German courts, but they dismissed the case, citing insufficient evidence. Undeterred, he spent the 1990s lobbying for a French trial, and in 1995 Krombach was tried in absentia and convicted of “intentional violence that led to unintentional death.” The court concluded that Krombach had tried to knock Kalinka unconscious for a sexual assault, inadvertently causing her death.

Although Krombach lost his medical license after multiple accusations of drugging and assaulting women, German authorities refused to extradite him. In 2009, French police discovered Krombach tied, gagged, and beaten on a street in Mulhouse—an outcome of a kidnapping orchestrated by Bamberski, who later admitted hiring the men and received a one‑year suspended sentence. Krombach was treated for his injuries and subsequently imprisoned, bringing Bamberski’s three‑decade quest for justice to a close.

6 The San Francisco Vigilantes

The California Gold Rush of the late 1840s caused a population explosion: from 15,000 to 250,000 in just two years. San Francisco, originally a modest town of 1,000, had to absorb 36,000 newcomers by 1852, creating a fertile breeding ground for crime.

By the early 1850s, the city was plagued by the Sydney Ducks, an Australian gang that terrorized locals. Fed up, citizens formed the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance in 1851, which became the largest vigilante movement in American history. Their first act was the hanging of a Sydney Duck wanted for grand larceny. Within months the committee grew to several hundred members, outnumbering the fledgling police force.

After hanging three more men and expelling dozens, the committee disbanded—only to reconvene in 1856 after the murder of newspaper editor James King by corrupt politician James Casey. This second incarnation swelled to around 6,000 members, abducted Casey and Charles Cora, conducted a mock trial, and executed both. Their actions sent a clear message that the community would not tolerate corruption.

5 The Subway Vigilante

In the gritty 1980s New York City, the name Bernhard Goetz became synonymous with the term “Subway Vigilante.” On December 22, 1984, Goetz was riding the subway when four young men surrounded him and demanded money. Believing he was about to be mugged, he drew a .38‑caliber handgun and fired at all four.

Three of the assailants suffered minor injuries, but one, Darrell Cabey, was shot in the spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed and brain‑damaged. Goetz fled the state, but surrendered to New Hampshire police nine days later. He was convicted only of illegal gun possession and served 250 days, while Cabey later won a $43 million civil judgment, forcing Goetz into bankruptcy.

Despite the controversy, Goetz leveraged his notoriety into a brief stint of celebrity, even attempting a run for New York City mayor in 2001, though the campaign ultimately failed.

4 Gary Plauché

On March 16, 1984, Jeff Doucet arrived at Baton Rouge airport in handcuffs, escorted by police, to stand trial for kidnapping and sexually assaulting 11‑year‑old Jody Plauché. As a camera crew filmed his arrival, a man standing near a payphone turned, raised a handgun, and shot Doucet once in the head at point‑blank range.

The shooter was Gary Plauché, the victim’s father. After the live‑broadcast murder, Plauché faced a trial that dominated headlines. Public sentiment leaned heavily in his favor, viewing his act as avenging his son. He pleaded no contest to manslaughter and received a suspended prison sentence plus five years of probation.

3 The Revenge Mother

In 1980, Marianne Bachmeier of Lübeck, West Germany, endured the ultimate parental tragedy when her seven‑year‑old daughter, Anna, was brutally slain by neighbor butcher Klaus Grabowski. Grabowski claimed the girl attempted to blackmail him with accusations of molestation, while also blaming a hormonal imbalance from prior chemical castration for his actions.

Refusing to wait for the legal system, Bachmeier entered the courtroom on March 6, 1981, armed with a .22‑caliber Beretta. She fired eight rounds, striking Grabowski six times; he died instantly. Bachmeier calmly surrendered to authorities.

The nation debated the morality of her act, dubbing her the “Revenge Mother.” In 1983 she was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years, serving only three before being released and starting anew.

2 The Vendetta Ride

The famed Gunfight at the O.K. Corral catapulted Wyatt Earp and his cohort into legend, but the aftermath was far bloodier. After the O.K. Corral clash, the Cowboys killed Morgan Earp and maimed Virgil Earp. Refusing to sit idle, Wyatt assembled a posse and embarked on a “vendetta ride.”

Although Earp was a deputy marshal, the raid was entirely unsanctioned. Their first shootout in Tucson, Arizona, resulted in the death of Cowboy Frank Stillwell, prompting arrest warrants for Earp and his men. Undeterred, the posse pressed on into California, where they killed another outlaw, Florentino Cruz, at a logging camp.

The climax arrived on March 24, when the posse caught the main Cowboy gang in a massive shootout. Though outnumbered, Earp’s men managed to kill two more outlaws, Johnny Barnes and Curly Bill Brocius, before retreating. The vendetta ride eventually dissolved, with most participants evading serious legal repercussions.

1 Skidmore, Missouri

It’s a rare occurrence for an entire town to rally behind a murder‑by‑the‑town scenario, yet that’s precisely what happened in Skidmore, Missouri, in 1981. The target was Ken McElroy, a notorious “town bully” accused of numerous felonies, ranging from burglary and assault to statutory rape. He repeatedly slipped through the legal system, often intimidating witnesses.

McElroy’s final crime was an attempted murder in 1980 when he shot 70‑year‑old grocer with a shotgun. Though initially convicted of assault rather than attempted murder, he posted bail while his lawyer appealed. On July 10, 1981, McElroy and his wife visited the D&G Tavern, his favorite bar, where about fifty locals gathered, determined that enough was enough.

After leaving the tavern, McElroy walked through the crowd, entered his truck, and lit a cigarette, confident no one would dare act. Suddenly, two gunshots rang out, and McElroy slumped over the steering wheel, dead. No witness saw the shooter, and the mystery remains unsolved to this day.

Think of a notorious crime boss from history and you’re probably picturing a man. Al Capone, Pablo Escobar, El Chapo, Lucky Luciano, Carlo Gambino, the CIA… 

However, plenty of women have been in charge – and not just as madams of brothels. Here are 10 of the most notorious.

10. Cheng Chui Ping, “Sister Ping” (1949-2014)

For more than a decade, Sister Ping, as she was called in New York’s Chinatown, smuggled up to 3,000 Chinese immigrants into the US — amassing a fortune of more than $40 million. Her fees were extortionate – $40,000 per person – and those who couldn’t pay in full were hounded for the balance, threatened with violence, and even held prisoner. Conditions aboard the smuggling ships were also inhumane. In June 1993, one ship carrying 300 immigrants ran aground in Queens and 10 drowned swimming to safety.

Ping set up her human smuggling (“snakehead”) operation shortly after her arrival in the US in 1981. From her store in Manhattan’s Chinatown, she joined with other snakeheads and steadily expanded operations. With the proceeds, she set up legitimate businesses – a travel agency, real estate company, restaurants, and a clothing store. She also bought real estate in Chinatown, apartments in Hong Kong, and a farm in South Africa.

After her indictment, she fled to China and continued to run her operation. In 2000, she was captured by Hong Kong police and, three years later, extradited back to the US. Witnesses from around the world testified against her.

9. Thelma Wright, “Boss Lady” (b. 1951)

Raised a Catholic in a loving family, Thelma didn’t seem fated for a life of crime. But she fell in love with Philadelphia heroin dealer Jackie Wright. Together, they enjoyed the lifestyle only crime can provide. And she was so in love that, when Jackie was eventually murdered, she impulsively agreed to keep his business going. She reasoned that it would at least put her son through college. Really, she wasn’t ready to let go of the life she’d got used to.

In any case, the new Boss Lady ran the coast-to-coast heroin and cocaine empire differently to her husband. For one thing she didn’t have employees, only people she supplied. And her careful, calculated approach actually won her more respect – and success – than her husband ever had. She continued to live the high life – private jets, custom cars, speed boats – until in 1991 she found herself in a shootout. One of her friends was killed, along with some of her associates, and she felt a desperate need to get out of the business. 

So she became a receptionist and kept her head down. Thelma Wright was never caught, and it’s probably a good thing. She’s doing far more good nowadays, helping vulnerable women and teenagers avoid the path she took. 

8. Tilly Devine, “Queen of the Loo” (1900-1970)

Tilly started out as a hooker in London, making £20 a week between the two World Wars (when the average wage was less than £3 a week). Then, at 17, she married one of her johns – Australian serviceman Jim Devine – who, three years later, became her pimp in Sydney.

Settling in Woollomooloo (or “the Loo” as locals call it), Tilly was in her element. It didn’t take her long to build a reputation for herself in the seedy seaside pleasure district. Within the first five years, she’d racked up 79 convictions – the last of which, for slashing a man with a razor, got her two years in jail.

But even this didn’t curb her ambition. When she got out, she opened a brothel. This was actually legal for a woman due to the naive wording of the Police Offences Act (1908), which only made it a crime for a man. In her new role as madam, she pampered her girls and took half their money while Jim kept them hooked on cocaine. It was a winning formula. By the end of the decade, she’d opened 18 brothels and amassed more diamonds than the Queen of England (“better ones too,” she liked to say). She dressed in furs, traveled the world, and, between lavish parties, even helped pay for Australia’s war effort. She also ditched Jim. In the press, she was dubbed “the Queen of the Night” or the “Queen of the Loo” or simply the “worst woman in Sydney.” 

7. Marica Licciardi, “The Godmother” (b. 1951)

Maria Licciardi was born into the mafia. Her father and brother were both bosses within the Camorra. It was when a nephew, next in the line of succession, was murdered that she took over as la Madrina (“the Godmother”).

Under her watch, the Licciardi Camorra ran extortion rackets, trafficked drugs, and hijacked public works contracts. Following one of the bloodiest mafia wars in living memory, she also formed an alliance between the Camorra clans – convincing her fellow leaders that cooperation was more profitable than war. She always had more sense than her associates. In 1999, when a large shipment of heroin arrived from Istanbul so pure that it was deadly, Licciardi ordered clans not to sell it. The Lo Russo clan defied her, killing numerous addicts and prompting public outrage, a police crackdown, and the collapse of Licciardi’s alliance.

Even the police respected her approach – even as she became one of Italy’s most wanted. 

6. Stephanie St. Clair, “Queenie” (1887/97-1969)

Born on Guadeloupe in the late 1800s, Stephanie St. Clair got to New York on a steamer, settling in Harlem aged 13 or 23 (her year of birth is disputed). Because she spoke in her native French as well as English, she was able to pass as an immigrant from France – and a sophisticated one too, given her education. At a time when African-Americans were arriving en masse to escape segregation in the south, this proved to be an advantage.

Setting herself up as the boss of the 40 Thieves, she got into “policy banking” – a numbers racket involving extortion and theft. And she was good at it too, maybe too good. Before long, her success (and notoriety) drew unwanted attention from New York’s established mobsters – especially after Prohibition ended. Dutch Schultz, one of the city’s top gangsters, began to move in on her racket. 

And he probably would have ousted her had his plan to assassinate the District Attorney not drawn the attention of the kingpin. Lucky Luciano, “chairman of the board” of New York’s Five Families, warned Schultz against the hit. When Schultz proceeded anyway, Luciano had him shot. It took Schultz a full day to die – just long enough for St. Clair to send him a telegram: “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.”

5. Alice Diamond, “Queen of the Forty Elephants” (1896-1952)

The Forty Elephants were a gang of working class women specializing in shoplifting, blackmail, and extortion. Under various female bosses, or “queens,” they worked London for almost a century – between the 1870s and 1950s. Their modus operandi was walking into department stores and stuffing the most expensive goods up their dresses. There was more than enough space in the fashions of the day.

The most famous Queen of the Forty Elephants was Alice Diamond, who at 5-foot-9 and with a full figure, was a match for most men of the time. She was known for her diamond rings and knuckle dusters, as well as for reorganizing the gang into separate cells allowing for simultaneous heists. This, she reasoned, would divide police attention and catch their targets by surprise. 

She also drafted the Hoister’s Code, outlining how they should operate. It mandated, among other things: the equal division of money; caring for relatives of imprisoned members; providing alibis for each other; and absolute fealty on pain of “ridicule or beating.” 

Unfortunately it was this Code that ultimately brought her reign to an end. She became too controlling, forbidding members from doing anything without her say so – including getting married. When one of the Elephants defied her on this point, she led an attack against the newlyweds – for which she was jailed for a year and a half. By the time she got out a new queen had replaced her.

4. Phoolan Devi, “Bandit Queen” (1963-2001)

As a low-caste woman in India, the naturally headstrong Phoolan Devi had a hard time growing up. In fact, her family hated her. When she was 10, her uncle knocked her out with a brick for saying he stole her father’s land. Then he married her off to a 45-year-old man to get rid of her. When she came back, aged 12 and no longer a virgin, her mother told her to jump down a well. She didn’t, so her uncle arranged for the local bandits to take her away for good. 

In captivity, Phoolan may have faced a lifetime of gang rape had it not been for an unlikely savior. Bikram Singh, a bandit of the same low caste as she, shot the high caste leader to death. The two became lovers, but not for long; Singh was killed in revenge, and Phoolan locked up in a village.

When she escaped, she gathered followers and took revenge of her own. On Valentines Day 1981, dressed in a khaki police coat, blue jeans, boots, and lipstick – with a gun and ammo slung over her shoulders – she marched her men to the village and demanded to know the whereabouts of her captors. The villagers didn’t know, so she had 30 of them (all men) lined up and shot. Because they were all from the landowning warrior caste, she became the most wanted person in India with a $10,000 bounty on her head.

Two years later, aged 20, she gave herself up. By this time, she had won the hearts of the Indian public. 8,000 people gathered at her hideout for the surrender. Evidently touched, she entered politics when she got out of prison.

3. Ma Barker, “Machine Gun Kate” (1872-1935)

Once called “the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal” in America by J Edgar Hoover, Ma Barker was, in her day, as infamous as Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and even Al Capone. She was the mother of a group of outlaws that terrorized the Midwest in the early 1930s. Ma helped them out and knew all their plans. She was also proficient with the Tommy gun, for which she earned the nickname Machine Gun Kate. 

Together, she and her boys “swept the nation like a spring tornado,” as one newspaper put it, amassing a fortune of up to $2 million. Their specialties were highway robbery, bank and post office heists, extortion, and kidnapping. They also killed cops. One of her sons, Herman, was already implicated for killing a policeman when he shot himself to avoid capture at a roadblock. That was in 1927. A few years later, the remaining Barker boys killed the police chief of Pocahontas, Arkansas, as well as the sheriff of Howell County, Missouri.

When kidnapping became a federal offense, however, they fell foul of the FBI. So they split up. Ma took her son Fred to Florida, while the other, Arthur, laid low on his own. Unfortunately for them all, when Arthur was arrested, the Feds found a map in his hideout showing the whereabouts of his mother and brother. Surrounding the house before sunrise, agents threw tear gas inside – to which Ma and Fred responded by opening fire from the second floor windows. It became a shootout – the “battle of Oklawaha” — and when the smoke finally cleared, Ma was found dead in an upstairs bedroom, machine gun still in her hands.

2. Maria Dolores Estevez Zuleta, “Lola la Chata” (1906-1959)

Lola la Chata grew up in La Merced, one of Mexico City’s oldest barrios, running drugs for her mother from a market stall. Here, in a neighborhood so criminal the police were afraid to invade, the young girl learned lessons that set her up for life. She learned the layout of the city, how to evade pursuers, and – from her prostitute friends – how to manipulate men.

After rounding out her education smuggling for a drug lord internationally, Lola returned to La Merced to build an empire of her own. Like her mother, she started out from a stall. She paid off the police and got kids to mule heroin in yo-yos. And she branded her products (a first for Mexico City) to encourage customer loyalty. She also offered loans to members of her community who couldn’t otherwise get one. 

By the 1950s, she was known as the “drug empress” – with her notoriety reaching the US.

1. Griselda Blanco Restrepo, “Cocaine Godmother” (1943-2012)

Raised by an abusive mother in Colombia, Griselda got into crime and prostitution at an early age. But it wasn’t until she met her second husband that she started trafficking cocaine to the US. Her contribution to the Medellin Cartel’s existing infrastructure was the design of a special undergarment for smuggling coke across the border.

She’s also known for killing her own husbands, earning her the nickname Black Widow. Her second husband she killed in a parking lot shootout, along with six of his bodyguards, while her third she had assassinated for cheating.

By this time her standing in the criminal underworld rivaled that of Pablo Escobar, and the DEA was out to get her. She was the Godmother of Miami’s cocaine underworld between the 1970s and 80s, but in the end was taken down for murdering her husbands, as well as a few others — although it’s estimated she killed as many as 200. Blanco was sentenced to almost 20 years in prison in the US before she was deported to Colombia. There, before her 70th birthday, she was gunned down outside a butchers shop in Medellin.