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[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Narrator: NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.
AS STUDENTS FROM THE IVY LEAGUE ARE GETTING READY TO RUN
IN ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS TRACK MEETS IN THE U.S.,
ALL EYES ARE ON ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA.
[ STARTING PISTOL FIRES ]
AGAINST ALL ODDS,
THIS SELF-EDUCATED KID HAS MADE IT INTO PRINCETON,
WHERE HE'S A TOP TRACK RUNNER AND STRAIGHT-A STUDENT.
[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]
Narrator: THAT IS, UNTIL HE RUNS INTO SOMEONE FROM HIS PAST
AND EVERYTHING BEGINS TO UNRAVEL.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
BORN IN CALIFORNIA IN 1969,
ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA DREAMS OF GOING TO AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.
BUT HIS PARENTS ARE ARTISTS.
HIS FATHER'S A POTTER, HIS MOTHER A SCULPTOR,
AND THE IVY LEAGUE IS AN EXPENSIVE DREAM.
THE BACK STORY ON ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA IS
THAT HE HAD TRAVELED THE WORLD WITH HIS MOTHER AND FATHER
AND THAT HIS FATHER, OSCAR,
HAD DIED IN A CAR CRASH IN BOLIVIA, SUDDENLY.
THEY HAD, AS A FAMILY,
GONE TO PLACES LIKE SWITZERLAND AND JAMAICA --
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Narrator: WITH SO MUCH MOVING AROUND,
ALEXI HASN'T BEEN IN A CLASSROOM SINCE HE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN.
WHEN HIS FATHER DIES, HE'S JUST 10 YEARS OLD.
FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS,
ALEXI AND HIS MOM LIVE IN EUROPE.
AT 16, HE HEADS BACK TO THE U.S. AND STARTS LIVING ON HIS OWN,
EVENTUALLY FINDING A JOB AS A RANCH HAND.
HE WORKED AT THE LAZY T RANCH,
A RANCH OUT THERE IN THE WESTERN U.S.
AND SPENT TONS OF TIME UNDER THE STARS AND SELF-EDUCATED,
READ A WHOLE BUNCH OF BOOKS AS HE WORKED AS A RANCH HAND.
Cole: WHICH MADE HIM
THIS INCREDIBLY INTERESTING CHARACTER.
AND SELF-TAUGHT, PRIMARILY, READING BOOKS ON HIS OWN,
LEARNING SORT OF ORGANICALLY
RATHER THAN IN YOUR CLASSIC CLASSROOM SETTING.
Narrator: ALEXI LOVES HIS LIFE ON THE PLAINS,
BUT HE IS DETERMINED TO MOVE ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS,
INCLUDING COLLEGE.
THANKS.
HE TAKES THE S.A.T.s
AND EARNS AN INCREDIBLY HIGH SCORE -- 1410.
Feldman: HE WAS THE ONE IN A MILLION
WHO COULD EMERGE FROM BEING AN ORPHAN,
TO NOT HAVING FORMAL SCHOOLING,
TO REALLY BEING A GENIUS
WHO SCORED VERY WELL ON THE S.A.T.
Narrator: IN 1987, ALEXI APPLIES TO YALE, HARVARD,
PRINCETON, BROWN, AND STANFORD.
IN LIEU OF HIGH-SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS,
HE SENDS ALONG NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
OF HIS RUNNING VICTORIES IN LOCAL RACES.
YALE AND HARVARD TURN HIM DOWN.
BUT HE RECEIVES A LETTER FROM PRINCETON
REQUESTING MORE INFORMATION
IN LIGHT OF HIS UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
Cole: AND IT IS THE PERFECT FANTASY FOR PEOPLE IN THE IVY LEAGUE.
THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY WANT THAT REALLY UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL
WHO YOU DO NOT FIND ANYWHERE ELSE
WHO'S ALSO REALLY INCREDIBLY SMART
AND CAN HANDLE WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TEACH.
Narrator: IT ALSO HELPS THAT ALEXI IS A FAST RUNNER --
VERY FAST --
RUNNING A MILE IN UNDER FOUR MINUTES.
PRINCETON SENDS ALEXI A ROUND-TRIP TICKET TO CAMPUS.
Cole: THE COACH AT THE TIME AT PRINCETON
WAS PROJECTING THAT IF HIS TIMES WERE THIS GOOD
WHEN HE WAS 17, 18 YEARS OLD,
THAT AS HE GOT BIGGER AND STRONGER,
HIS TIMES WOULD IMPROVE.
Sax: TO BE ABLE TO JUST, WITH VERY LITTLE TRAINING,
GO OUT THERE AND RUN AN 8:59
WITHOUT A COACH AND WITHOUT A PROGRAM
AND AS AN ADMISSIONS OFFICER,
I WOULD HAVE SAID, "I WANT THIS GUY."
Narrator: WEEKS LATER,
PRINCETON SENDS AN ACCEPTANCE LETTER,
ALONG WITH AN OFFER
OF $20,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID.
ALEXI IS OVER THE MOON.
Feldman: WE WANT TO BELIEVE IN SOMEONE
WHO CAN COME FROM VERY HUMBLE ORIGINS
AND DO MIRACULOUS THINGS.
[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]
Narrator: BUT THE ACCEPTANCE COMES AT A BAD TIME.
Cole: HIS MOTHER, AN ARTIST FROM SWITZERLAND,
WHO HAD RETURNED THERE, HAD CANCER.
Narrator: ALEXI WRITES TO PRINCETON
AND SAYS THAT HE MUST DEFER HIS ACCEPTANCE FOR A YEAR
SO HE CAN GO TO SWITZERLAND TO COMFORT HIS AILING MOTHER.
WHEN SHE DIES, ALEXI IS DEVASTATED.
A YEAR LATER, ALEXI FINALLY MAKES IT TO PRINCETON,
AND HE DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
Sax: ON CAMPUS,
THERE WAS DEFINITELY A BUZZ ABOUT ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA.
AND KEEP IN MIND, THERE ARE SOME VERY NOTEWORTHY PEOPLE
WHO ARE GOING THERE AT THE SAME TIME --
THERE WAS LACHLAN MURDOCH, RUPERT MURDOCH'S SON.
THERE WAS PRINCESS OLGA OF GREECE.
BUT THE ONE PERSON PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT MOST
WAS ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA.
HIS BACKGROUND WAS JUST AMAZING.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE THE CINDERELLA STORY.
I WAS VERY EXCITED TO MEET HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Narrator: ALEXI ADJUSTS WELL TO LIFE ON CAMPUS.
HE EARNS STRAIGHT A's, IMPRESSES HIS PROFESSORS,
AND JOINS THE PRESTIGIOUS IVY CLUB.
Cole: ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA GOT INVITED
TO THE MOST EXCLUSIVE EATING CLUB
AT ALL OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.
THEY'RE LIKE SOCIAL CLUBS.
HE DEFINITELY HAD AN AURA ABOUT HIM,
SOMETHING REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
HE KNEW EVERYTHING.
DIVERSE RANGE OF SUBJECTS.
AND WE COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT HE WAS THAT INTELLIGENT
AND WAS SELF-EDUCATED AT THE SAME TIME.
ALEXI DID LOOK A LITTLE BIT OLDER,
BUT EVERYBODY ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE WEATHERING
FROM BEING OUT IN THE MOJAVE DESERT
AND IN UTAH AND NEVADA
AND TRAVERSING AND TRAVELING THROUGH THE WEST.
Narrator: ON CAMPUS,
ALEXI ESPECIALLY INTRIGUES THE LADIES.
Sax: A LOT OF WOMEN WANTED TO EITHER BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIM
OR GO AFTER HIM,
AND HE EVEN DEVELOPED A NICKNAME -- SEXY ALEXI.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Narrator: BUT ALEXI IS ALSO A SERIOUS RUNNER.
HE REPRESENTS PRINCETON
AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST IVY LEAGUE TRACK MEETS.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
RENEE PACHECO, A SENIOR AT YALE,
IS THERE TO CHEER ON A FRIEND.
WHEN SHE SEES ALEXI AT THE RACE, SHE'S SHOCKED.
SHE'S SEEN HIM BEFORE, AND HIS NAME ISN'T ALEXI.
Narrator: ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA
IS A TOP STUDENT AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
ON AN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP.
HE ATTENDS THE ANNUAL
HARVARD-YALE-PRINCETON TRACK MEET IN 1991.
BUT TO A YALE STUDENT CHEERING ON A FRIEND,
ALEXI LOOKS AN AWFUL LOT
LIKE A STUDENT SHE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH.
BACK IN 1985,
ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COUNTRY,
A NEW STUDENT DRAWS SOME ATTENTION
AT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT THIS KID'S NAME ISN'T ALEXI.
IT'S JAY HUNTSMAN.
JAY HUNTSMAN WAS THIS KID
WHO HAD SHOWN UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR,
LOOKING TO GET AN EDUCATION.
Narrator: JUST LIKE ALEXI, JAY IS AN ORPHAN.
JAY HUNTSMAN HAD BEEN HOMESCHOOLED
ON A COMMUNE IN NEVADA
AFTER HIS PARENTS HAD DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT.
Narrator: AND LIKE ALEXI,
JAY IS AN OUTSTANDING RUNNER WITH BIG DREAMS.
Cole: JAY HUNTSMAN EVENTUALLY WANTED TO COME
AND GET A FORMAL EDUCATION.
Narrator: BUT SINCE HE HAS NO WAY OF PAYING COLLEGE TUITION,
JAY'S GUARDIANS GIVE HIM AN IDEA --
TO TRY FOR AN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A GOOD RUNNER.
SO THAT'S WHAT HE DOES.
JAY JOINS THE PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL TRACK TEAM,
AND IN OCTOBER, HE ATTENDS THE STANFORD INVITATIONAL MEET,
ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS HIGH-SCHOOL TRACK EVENTS
IN THE U.S.
Cole: THERE'S ABOUT A THOUSAND RUNNERS IN IT,
PROBABLY COMING FROM 45 OR 50 DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS
THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.
SO IT WASN'T LIKE HE WAS JUST IN SOME LOCAL RACE.
HE WAS IN A MAJOR RACE.
Narrator: AS A SPORTS REPORTER
FOR THE PENINSULA TIMES-TRIBUNE,
JASON COLE KNOWS ALL THE FAVORITES.
THESE ARE THE BEST KIDS IN THE UNITED STATES, GENERALLY.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE THE WESTERN UNITED STATES PRODUCES
SOME OF THE BEST RUNNERS IN THE COUNTRY,
AND HE BLEW THEM AWAY.
Narrator: AS THE RACE UNFOLDS,
JASON CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE SEES.
Cole: HE DESTROYED THIS RACE.
ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED THEM IN THIS RACE.
SO, HE'S RUNNING DOWN THE TRACK,
LEADING THIS BY A GOOD HUNDRED YARDS --
THERE'S NOBODY EVEN CLOSE TO HIM --
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE JUST KIND OF VEERS.
THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE.
Narrator: WHY WOULD A LEADING RUNNER NOT CROSS THE FINISH LINE?
THERE WERE THREE REPORTERS THERE,
AND WE WERE ALL JUST STUNNED.
Narrator: CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE, JASON AND THE OTHER REPORTERS
TRY TO GET AN INTERVIEW WITH JAY.
Cole: WE START TO APPROACH HIM
TO ASK HIM A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS,
AND HE GIVES US A COUPLE OF VERY QUICK ANSWERS,
AND THEN TURNS AND STARTS TO JOG OFF.
EVENTUALLY, THE HEADLINES ALL BECAME "MYSTERY RUNNER."
Narrator: THREE DAYS LATER,
JOHN BAKER, A REPORTER FROM THE SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS,
DOES MANAGE TO LAND AN INTERVIEW WITH JAY.
Cole: THE THINGS THAT HE TOLD TO JOHN BAKER
WERE REMARKS ABOUT HOW, "I JUST WANT TO FIT IN.
"I JUST WANT TO GET AN EDUCATION.
I'M HERE TO TRY AND GET ON TO COLLEGE."
I GET ANGRY ABOUT THE FACT
THAT I HAD THIS STORY BROKEN ON ME BY SOMEBODY ELSE
WHEN I FELT LIKE I HAD IT,
AND I KIND OF PICKED IT UP FROM THERE.
Narrator: JASON LEARNS
THAT JAY HADN'T FILLED OUT ANY OF THE PROPER PAPERWORK
FOR THE STANFORD INVITATIONAL.
HE ALSO REALIZES SOMETHING ELSE.
TECHNICALLY, HE WAS INELIGIBLE.
HE WAS RUNNING WITH THE JERSEY TURNED INSIDE OUT
AND THE LETTERS WERE BACKWARDS,
AS THE SIGN THAT HE WASN'T CONFIRMED FOR THAT RACE
BECAUSE THEY HADN'T VERIFIED ALL OF HIS BACKGROUND.
SO, HE WAS SORT OF RUNNING ON THE SLY.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, JAY RETURNS TO HIS SCHOOL AS A CELEBRITY.
EVERYONE IS THRILLED.
THIS KID BECAME A PHENOM AT THIS SCHOOL PRETTY QUICKLY
BECAUSE PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL
IS KIND OF A TYPICAL COLLEGE-TOWN HIGH SCHOOL,
WITH A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY SMART KIDS.
BUT AT THE TIME, TO HAVE A PHENOMENAL ATHLETE LIKE THIS
WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR THEM.
HE BECAME A LITTLE BIT OF A STAR RIGHT AWAY.
Narrator: BUT JASON FEELS SOMETHING IS FISHY.
I WAS CHECKING OUT ALL THE FACTS
IN JOHN BAKER'S STORY FROM THE SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS.
HE WAS USING THE BIRTH DATE,
I THINK, SOMETIME IN 1969, IN SAN DIEGO.
THE REPORTER IN ME SAYS,
"OKAY, LET'S CALL THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE
JUST TO CHECK OUT WHAT'S GOING ON."
Narrator: AT FIRST, EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT.
Cole: SHE GIVES ME AS MUCH INFORMATION AS SHE POSSIBLY CAN --
WHO HIS PARENTS WERE,
WHERE THEY WERE FROM, THE EXACT BIRTH WEIGHT --
ALL THIS LITTLE TECHNICAL DATA
THAT'S ON A TYPICAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
I SAY, "IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW,
ANYTHING THAT I HAVEN'T ASKED?"
AND SHE SAYS, "WELL, YEAH. IT SAYS HE'S DEAD."
Narrator: WHEN ENIGMATIC JAY HUNTSMAN
DESTROYS THE COMPETITION AT THE STANFORD TRACK MEET,
EVERYBODY WANTS A PIECE OF THE NEW STAR RUNNER.
JOURNALIST JASON COLE LOOKS INTO HIS BACKGROUND
AND DISCOVERS THAT THERE'S MORE TO THIS MYSTERY RUNNER
THAN MEETS THE EYE.
Cole: AS I'M ABOUT TO HANG UP, I SAY,
"IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW,
ANYTHING THAT I HAVEN'T ASKED?"
AND SHE SAYS, "WELL, YEAH. IT SAYS HE'S DEAD."
AND IN BIG LETTERS ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE,
IT SAYS, "DECEASED."
ALL RIGHT?
AND AT THAT MOMENT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
BUT THE ADRENALINE RUSH FROM THE VERY TOP OF MY HEAD --
I CAN FEEL IT STILL TO THIS DAY,
WHERE THE ADRENALINE JUST POURS RIGHT FROM THE TOP OF MY HEAD
ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO MY TOES.
Narrator: WHEN THE STORY BREAKS, IT CAUSES A LOCAL SENSATION.
OH, IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE FRENZY OF TELLING EDITORS,
"THIS IS WHAT I'VE GOT."
YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE TOWN PAPER,
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MASSIVE STORY
THAT WE'RE GONNA DROP ON THE COMMUNITY
AND ON THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S LESS THAN HALF A MILE AWAY.
OH, IT WAS FANTASTIC.
Narrator: WHEN JASON CALLS PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL
TO TELL THEM JAY IS NOT THE PERSON HE CLAIMS TO BE,
THE NEWS SPREADS LIKE WILDFIRE.
Cole: THE KIDS ON THE TEAM WERE DEALING EMBARRASSMENT.
THE OTHER KIDS, SOME OF THEM WERE AMUSED BY IT.
THEY SORT OF GOT THE JOKE, YOU KNOW, THEY LIKE TO BELIEVE.
SOME OF THE KIDS WERE UPSET BY IT.
THEY FELT LIKE THEY'D BEEN LIED TO.
Narrator: JAY HUNTSMAN QUICKLY DISAPPEARS.
Cole: NOBODY EVER PRESSED CHARGES
FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
HE LEFT TOWN.
I DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF HIM.
HE MOVED ON TO WHEREVER HE WAS GONNA GO NEXT.
Narrator: PALO ALTO IS LEFT WONDERING,
"JUST WHO IS THIS MYSTERY MAN?"
AND WHILE IT'S THE FIRST TIME JAY TAKES OFF,
IT WON'T BE THE LAST.
A FEW MONTHS LATER, IN VAIL, COLORADO,
JAY RE-EMERGES.
HE NO LONGER GOES BY THE NAME JAY HUNTSMAN.
THIS TIME, JAMES HOGUE.
AND HE CERTAINLY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A HIGH-SCHOOL KID.
Davis: THE WAY I MET JAMES HOGUE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME,
IT WAS A RUNNING RACE IN VAIL THAT CAME ABOUT,
AND JAMES HOGUE ACTUALLY TOOK SECOND IN THAT RACE,
WHICH IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT IN ITSELF
BECAUSE LITERALLY ALL THE TOP MOUNTAIN RUNNERS
FROM COLORADO WERE THERE.
HE GOT OUR ATTENTION THAT WAY,
AND THEN WE JUST INVITED HIM OVER
TO HAVE A COCKTAIL WITH US, BASICALLY.
Narrator: IMPRESSED, JIM DAVIS HIRES JAMES HOGUE
AS A RUNNING COACH AT VAIL CROSS-TRAINING,
A MAJOR CAMP FOR TRIATHLETES.
Cole: HE HAD PASSED HIMSELF OFF AS A PhD FROM STANFORD
AND THAT HE WAS AN EXPERT IN CROSS-TRAINING AND BIOPHYSICS
AND ALL SORTS OF, YOU KNOW, WONDERFUL TITLES.
Davis: HE WAS GOOD WITH HIS JOB.
HE BLENDED WELL BETWEEN EVERYONE.
HE DID TELL US
THAT HE HAD JUST RUN A SUB-4-MINUTE MILE, INDOORS,
AND THAT HE WAS ALSO A PhD FROM STANFORD,
SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A NICE MIX TO BECOME --
YOU KNOW, BE PART OF MY STAFF.
DAVE TESCH WAS ONE OF THE TOP CUSTOM FRAME BUILDERS
IN THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME.
Narrator: FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS,
JAY HUNTSMAN WORKS FOR JIM DAVIS AS JAMES HOGUE.
BUT JAMES DOESN'T TALK MUCH ABOUT HIS PAST
AND SEEMS TO LIVE A NOMADIC LIFE.
JAMES HOGUE DROVE YOUR TYPICAL LITTLE MOUNTAIN PICKUP TRUCK
WITH A CAMPER SHELL ON IT,
AND HIS M.O. WOULD BE HE WOULD JUST KIND OF ROLL INTO TOWN,
HE WOULD SURF ON YOUR COUCH FOR A WHILE,
AND HE WOULD GO AND FIND ANOTHER COUCH TO CRASH ON,
AND THEN HE'D BE GONE.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS PRETTY QUIET, AND HE DIDN'T STAND OUT.
HE WASN'T, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THOSE ROCK-STAR ATHLETES
THAT ARE EASY TO PICK OUT OF A CROWD.
JAMES WAS SO HARD TO GET AHOLD OF,
WE NEVER KNEW WHERE HE WAS.
AND SO, AT SOME POINT IN TIME,
WE JUST STARTED CALLING HIM THE MYSTERY BOY.
Narrator: CONSTANTLY TRAVELING IN AND OUT OF TOWN,
JAMES TELLS HIS FRIENDS THAT HE ALSO TEACHES AT STANFORD,
MORE THAN A THOUSAND MILES AWAY.
LEAVING US AGAIN, HUH?
I STARTED CALLING STANFORD UNIVERSITY
'CAUSE JAMES SAID HE WAS TEACHING THERE, AND GOT NOTHING.
THEY SAID, "NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY JAMES HOGUE
THAT'S TEACHING HERE."
I CONFRONTED HIM, AND I SAID,
"JAMES, DUDE, YOU'RE NOT AN INSTRUCTOR AT STANFORD.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?"
I SAID, "WHY WOULD YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP THESE STORIES
WHEN YOU HAVE THE TALENT?"
I THINK PEOPLE JUST DON'T LIKE BEING LIED TO.
HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
HE DIDN'T -- HE DIDN'T ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HE HAD BEEN LYING.
I MEAN, JUST DEAD SILENCE.
Narrator: CONFRONTED ABOUT HIS LIES,
JUST LIKE JAY HUNTSMAN IN PALO ALTO,
JAMES HOGUE RUNS AWAY.
WHEN YOU ENTRUST SOMEBODY WITH YOUR FRIENDSHIP
AND THEY LIE TO YOU,
I MEAN, THERE'S CERTAINLY A BETRAYAL THERE.
Narrator: OUTSIDE COLORADO,
JAMES HOGUE STILL HAS ONE FRIEND.
BACK IN HIS BIKE SHOP IN CALIFORNIA,
DAVE TESCH STILL THINKS
JAMES HOGUE IS THE MAN HE PRETENDS TO BE.
JAMES STOPS INTO HIS SHOP AND OFFERS TO DO SOME WORK FOR DAVE,
WHO WELCOMES HIM WITH OPEN ARMS.
HE MENTIONED THAT THIS CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNER
WAS WORKING AROUND THE SHOP AND WHATNOT.
AND IF I LIVED IN CALIFORNIA,
I MIGHT HAVE PICKED UP A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE AND THERE
AND SAID, "HEY, DAVE, LET'S GET THIS GUY CHECKED OUT."
Narrator: BUT DAVE DOESN'T CHECK JAMES OUT,
AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, HE COMES TO REGRET IT.
$20,000 WORTH OF BICYCLE-RELATED ITEMS
WERE STOLEN FROM THE SHOP.
HE WAS CONVINCED
IT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER BICYCLE MAKERS IN THE AREA.
Narrator: BUT AS THE POLICE INVESTIGATE,
DAVE LEARNS THAT HIS TRUSTED FRIEND AND EMPLOYEE
HAS SKIPPED TOWN.
IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT BLOW TO MY BROTHER.
HE WAS BUILDING A BUSINESS, AND THIS DID SET HIM BACK.
THIS REALLY DID SET HIM BACK.
I BECAME REALLY ANGRY
WHEN I HEARD JAMES HAD RIPPED OFF DAVE TESCH.
AND I HAD SPENT SOME TIME WITH DAVID
AND KNOW HOW HARD HE WORKED
AND HOW PASSIONATE HE WAS ABOUT HIS BUSINESS.
AND I WAS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR
AND KIND OF PUT THESE TWO TOGETHER AT MY TRAINING CAMP.
I LET THE WOLF IN.
Narrator: ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER,
DAVE TESCH GETS A CALL FROM A FRIEND IN UTAH.
THE MAN SWEARS HE RECOGNIZES ONE OF DAVE'S UNIQUE HOMEMADE TOOLS
IN THE HANDS OF A BIKE MECHANIC WORKING IN A SHOP THERE.
MY BROTHER DAVE CONTACTED THE AUTHORITIES IN UTAH.
Narrator: FOR SIX MONTHS,
JAY HUNTSMAN HAD QUIETLY BEEN WORKING AS A BIKE MECHANIC,
STILL USING THE NAME JAMES HOGUE AS HIS ALIAS.
DAVID WAS VERY, VERY ANGRY.
HE WAS VERY ANGRY.
I WOULD BET THAT THE MOMENT HE HEARD
JAMES HOGUE WAS THE ONE WHO STOLE FROM HIM
THAT HE GOT IN HIS CAR.
HE WAS GOING 120 MILES AN HOUR ALL THE WAY TO UTAH.
Narrator: ON MARCH 30th, DAVE TESCH SHOWS UP UNANNOUNCED
WITH A LOCAL UTAH POLICE DETECTIVE
AT THE STORAGE LOCKER HIS FORMER EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN LIVING IN.
Tesch: KIND OF CAUGHT HIM RED-HANDED,
WHICH WAS KIND OF A GOTCHA MOMENT.
WHOA! HEY!
OKAY! HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON?!
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Cole: THEY DISCOVERED ALL THESE HIGH-END FRAMES,
WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE,
AND WHEELS AND OTHER STUFF
THAT HE HAD STARTED TO PILFER ALONG THE WAY.
YEAH, SURE. I'M SURE YOU NEEDED ALL THAT.
I WAS GONNA BRING THEM BACK TO YOU!
FIVE YEARS LATER?
Narrator: THEY ALSO FIND A COLLECTION OF RUNNING TROPHIES,
AND THEY DON'T BELONG TO JAY HUNTSMAN OR JAMES HOGUE.
THIS IS PART OF HIM DEVELOPING THE NEXT LIE.
Narrator: WHOEVER THIS MAN IS,
INVESTIGATORS HAVE FINALLY PUT AN END TO HIS CHARADE.
OR SO THEY THINK.
Obler: IT WAS THE ULTIMATE CON.
HE CONNED ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator: IN 1988, JAY HUNTSMAN,
WHO'S BEEN HIDING OUT IN UTAH UNDER THE NAME JAMES HOGUE,
IS CAUGHT WITH $20,000 WORTH OF STOLEN GOODS
FROM A CALIFORNIA BIKE MAKER.
WHEN THE POLICE SEARCH HIS STORAGE LOCKER,
THEY ALSO FIND TROPHIES BEARING THE NAME ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHO THAT IS.
THE MYSTERY MAN IS NOT A PhD FROM STANFORD,
NOR AN ORPHAN FROM A COMMUNE.
IN A RARE TV APPEARANCE, THIS SERIAL IMPOSTOR DESCRIBES
HOW HE SCHEMED FOR YEARS TO ACHIEVE HIS IVY LEAGUE DREAMS.
Hogue: AFTER IT DIDN'T WORK AT PALO ALTO,
YOU KNOW, I STILL AM IN THE SAME POSITION WHERE I WAS.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE A DEGREE.
FIRST, I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ADMITTED.
Narrator: LIVING BY HIMSELF IN A STORAGE LOCKER IN UTAH,
JAMES HOGUE REACHES ROCK BOTTOM WHEN HE HAS HIS EUREKA MOMENT.
Hogue: I WAS WATCHING "THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW" ONE NIGHT,
AND THERE WAS A KID ON THE SHOW
WHO HAD BEEN ADMITTED TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY
WITHOUT HAVING GONE TO SCHOOL.
AND HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY, EITHER.
AND I WAS LIKE, "I WANT TO DO THAT.
"I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR FREE
"AND NOT HAVE TO SHOW THEM ANY OF MY GRADES,
WHICH ARE NOT VERY GOOD."
I, UH, WROTE A LETTER TO THIS KID.
"HERE I AM. HOW DO I DO WHAT YOU DID?"
Narrator: THE KID TELLS HOGUE
HE IS PART OF THE ROUGHLY 10% OF STUDENTS
THAT HARVARD AND OTHER IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS
RECRUIT EVERY YEAR
UNDER SPECIAL PROGRAMS AIMED AT FILLING THEIR RANKS
WITH BRIGHT STUDENTS FROM NONTRADITIONAL BACKGROUNDS,
THE KIND OF DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
THAT EVERY IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY IS LOOKING FOR.
Hogue: I SAID, "YEAH, I CAN USE THAT TO MY ADVANTAGE.
"BECAUSE HARVARD HAS ONE, EVERYONE ELSE WANTS ONE, TOO.
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA BE THAT GUY."
SO I CAME UP WITH MY LITTLE SCHEME.
Narrator: STUDYING THE ADMISSION STATISTICS,
HOGUE STARTS BUILDING A NEW PERSONA,
ONE THAT WILL FIT THE 10%.
THEY LIKE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON FROM EVERY STATE,
MAYBE EVEN EVERY COUNTRY, IF THEY CAN DO IT,
SO I JUST STARTED RUNNING ALL THESE MODELS.
I THOUGHT, "WELL, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A KID FROM A RANCH.
"THEY MIGHT WANT THAT, SO THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.
I'LL SAY I LIVE ON A RANCH, SO 'TAKE ME.'"
I KNEW THAT A SPANISH SURNAME
WAS ONE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT WOULD HELP,
AS FAR AS THEIR SEARCH FOR DIVERSITY.
Narrator: JAMES COMES UP WITH A NAME
THAT WILL CATCH THEIR ATTENTION --
ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA.
HE HAD STARTED TO APPLY TO MULTIPLE IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS.
Narrator: IN HIS ATTEMPT TO BECOME THE PERFECT CANDIDATE,
JAMES, A.K.A. ALEXI, SPARES NO EFFORT.
HE REGISTERS FOR THE S.A.T.s.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I DIDN'T TAKE THE S.A.T.s.
BUT I DID NEED THOSE SCORES.
I FOUND A PLACE THAT WAS GIVING THE TEST.
I WENT AND TOOK IT.
Narrator: HE EVEN ENTERS RACES UNDER HIS NEW ALIAS.
Hogue: I KNEW I COULD GET THE TEST SCORES.
I KNEW I COULD GET THE ATHLETIC RESULTS.
IT WAS A WAY TO LEGITIMIZE WHATEVER I WAS MAKING UP.
I HAD TO HAVE AS MUCH ACTUAL TRUTH IN THERE AS POSSIBLE.
Narrator: THE PLAN WORKS.
ALEXI IS OFFERED A PLANE TICKET
TO CHECK OUT THE CAMPUS AT PRINCETON.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
BUT AS ALEXI AWAITS NEWS ABOUT ADMISSION,
JAMES HOGUE IS CAUGHT BY POLICE FOR THEFT.
WHEN THE UTAH POLICE FIND ALEXI'S RUNNING TROPHIES,
THEY'RE SURPRISED TO FIND APPLICATIONS
TO THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS COLLEGES IN THE U.S.
WHEN THE POLICE CALL STANFORD
TO WARN THEM ABOUT A FAKE APPLICANT,
EVEN THE SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS PICKS UP THE STORY.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE JIG IS UP.
BUT THE NEWS DOESN'T REACH PRINCETON.
THEY OFFER ALEXI ADMISSION AND AN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP.
HE HAD THE GREATEST STORY,
AND PRINCETON THOUGHT THAT IT MADE THEM LOOK GOOD.
Narrator: BACK IN UTAH,
PRINCETON'S NEW PRIZE STUDENT IS STILL KNOWN AS JAMES HOGUE,
A MAN FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES.
JAMES HOGUE EVENTUALLY PLEADS GUILTY
TO THEFT OF THE STOLEN BIKE PARTS
AND IS SENT TO PRISON.
HE THEN SIMPLY DEFERS HIS ADMISSION FOR A YEAR.
Hogue: BASICALLY, YOU CAN SAY,
"WELL, IT'S NOT CONVENIENT FOR ME NOW.
CAN I COME NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER THAT?"
SO I TOLD THEM THAT MY MOTHER HAD A SERIOUS ILLNESS
AND I WANT TO SPEND THE YEAR TAKING CARE OF HER.
Narrator: AFTER JUST ONE YEAR, JAMES IS RELEASED FROM PRISON,
BUT HE'S REQUIRED TO STAY IN UTAH TO SERVE OUT HIS PAROLE.
WHEN DAVE TESCH HEARS ABOUT HIS DISCHARGE,
HE CALLS JAMES' PAROLE OFFICER.
HE HAD HIM FIGURED OUT BY THEN.
HE WARNED --
YOU KNOW, HE WARNED THE D.A., "THIS GUY IS GONE.
THIS GUY IS LEAVING. HE IS NOT STAYING."
HE WAS GONNA JUMP BAIL, AND HE DID.
Narrator: IN AUGUST 1989,
JAY HUNTSMAN, A.K.A. JAMES HOGUE,
SHOWS UP AT PRINCETON,
LEAVING UTAH AND HIS OTHER IDENTITIES BEHIND.
HE'S READY TO START HIS NEW LIFE AS GIFTED STUDENT
AND RUNNING STAR ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA.
IT WAS THE ULTIMATE CON.
HE CONNED ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
HE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET IN TO PRINCETON.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS BRILLIANT.
Hogue: I SAID, "IF I CAN GET THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR,
"WHICH MAYBE I HAVE A 50% CHANCE TO DO THAT,
I MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE TO PULL THIS OFF."
THE LIE BECAME TRUTH FOR HIM.
HE WAS AN EXCELLENT STUDENT.
HE TOOK SIX OR SEVEN COURSES PER SEMESTER,
WHEREAS MOST PEOPLE TAKE FOUR OR FIVE,
AND HE SCORED A's IN MOST OF THE CLASSES.
SO IN THAT SENSE, HE REALLY WAS PRINCETON-WORTHY.
I NEVER WANTED TO TELL ANYBODY.
UM...
IT WAS HARD TO -- TO KEEP IT UP,
BUT I NEVER HAD THE URGE TO BLOW MY COVER.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Narrator: UNTIL SOMEONE BLOWS IT FOR HIM.
IN 1991, HE GETS SPOTTED
AT THE HARVARD-YALE-PRINCETON TRACK MEET.
Hogue: I REMEMBER SEEING THAT GIRL THERE,
BUT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER.
Narrator: THE NEWS SOON REACHES PALO ALTO AND JASON COLE.
I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
WHAT'S HE DOING?"
Narrator: JASON HASN'T HEARD OF JAY HUNTSMAN IN YEARS,
NOT SINCE HE STARTED DIGGING INTO JAY'S BACKGROUND IN 1985.
SHE SAID, "I WANTED TO WALK UP TO HIM AND SCREAM AT HIM."
SHE WAS VERY, VERY ANGRY WITH HIM,
THAT HE HAD DUPED THEM ONCE
AND THAT HE WAS PULLING THE SAME SCHEME AGAIN.
HE'S GOT BALLS. I'LL GIVE HIM THAT.
HE'S GOT SOME SERIOUS CHUTZPAH TO PULL THAT ONE OFF AGAIN.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS FUNNY
'CAUSE SO MANY OF THE FACTS, YOU KNOW,
ARE THE SAME THAT HE HAD USED AT PALO ALTO.
I THEN TRACKED DOWN THAT HE HAD BEEN INCARCERATED IN UTAH
FOR SOME PETTY CRIMES.
AND EVENTUALLY CALLED UTAH TO FIND OUT,
AND THEY TOLD ME HE WAS ON A PAROLE VIOLATION.
I CALLED PRINCETON UNIVERSITY,
AND THE WHOLE THING STARTED TO UNRAVEL AGAIN.
Narrator: JASON TELLS THE ADMINISTRATION
THAT ALEXI IS AN IMPOSTOR, ALSO KNOWN AS JAY HUNTSMAN.
I TALKED TO THE COACH OF THE PRINCETON TEAM,
AND HE TALKED ABOUT
ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WENT INTO IT.
I EVEN CALLED A MEMBER OF THE PRINCETON TRACK TEAM,
WHO I HAPPENED TO KNOW.
AND AS THE FACTS COME TOGETHER,
[CHUCKLES] I WAS JUST REALLY HAPPY 'CAUSE HE PULLED IT AGAIN.
I WAS LIKE, "I'M WRITING THIS STORY AGAIN,"
AND THIS ONE GOT NATIONAL ATTENTION.
IT WASN'T JUST A REALLY INTERESTING LOCAL STORY
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NATIONAL STORY.
Narrator: WHEN THE NEWS BREAKS,
IT STUNS PRINCETON AND THE STUDENT COMMUNITY.
Sax: I WAS IN SHOCK.
I WAS INCREDULOUS. I WAS IN TOTAL DISBELIEF.
SOMETIMES THE CRAZIEST IDEA IS THE ONE THAT WILL WORK THE BEST.
Narrator: A SERIAL IMPOSTOR HAS JUST BEEN CAUGHT
POSING AS A STUDENT AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY,
KNOWN TO THE SCHOOL AS ALEXI INDRIS-SANTANA,
IN UTAH AS JAMES HOGUE,
AND IN CALIFORNIA AS JAY HUNTSMAN.
WHO IS THIS MYSTERY MAN, REALLY?
ON FEBRUARY 26, 1991,
TWO PRINCETON POLICE DETECTIVES SHOW UP AT THE SCHOOL.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
Sax: WE WERE IN GEOLOGY CLASS, AND IT WAS AN AFTERNOON CLASS,
AND TWO GENTLEMEN WHO WERE WEARING SUITS --
THEY LOOKED VERY OFFICIAL.
THEY CAME TO THE DOOR, THEY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.
THE PROFESSOR OPENED THE DOOR,
AND THEY ASKED THE PROFESSOR TO HAVE A WORD OUTSIDE.
SO, THE PROFESSOR CAME BACK IN AND SAID,
"ALEXI, THESE TWO GENTLEMEN WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU."
SO I GOT THERE,
AND THEY SHOWED ME THIS PICTURE AND SAID, "HEY, THIS IS YOU.
YOU'RE NOT WHO YOU SAID,
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO TAKE YOU INTO CUSTODY."
WITHIN 60 SECONDS -- BOOM! --
HANDCUFFS, READING HIM HIS RIGHTS.
AND EVERYBODY IN CLASS COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
EVERYBODY'S EYES WERE OPEN WIDE.
WE WERE LOOKING AROUND, SAYING, "WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT HAPPENED?"
HE WAS CHARGED WITH THEFT BY DECEPTION,
WHICH WAS RECEIVING FUNDS
IN A MANNER THAT YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO.
I WAS IN SHOCK.
I WAS INCREDULOUS. I WAS IN TOTAL DISBELIEF.
Narrator: THANKS TO REPORTER JASON COLE
TIPPING OFF THE AUTHORITIES,
THEY NOW KNOW ALEXI SANTANA'S TRUE IDENTITY.
JASON PAINSTAKINGLY PIECED TOGETHER THE STORY
WHEN HE INVESTIGATED ONE OF ALEXI'S EARLIER ALIASES --
PALO ALTO MYSTERY RUNNER JAY HUNTSMAN.
I EVENTUALLY GOT AHOLD OF JAY HUNTSMAN'S PARENTS,
WHO LIVED IN UTAH.
JAY HUNTSMAN DIED ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER HE HAD BEEN BORN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A VERY, VERY SAD STORY.
Narrator: WHEN JASON CALLS THE POLICE TO TELL THEM THE NEWS,
HE ASKS THEM TO RUN A CHECK
ON THE LICENSE PLATES ON JAY'S TRUCK.
WHEN THEY DO, JAY'S TRUE IDENTITY IS REVEALED.
ONE OF HIS ALIASES
IS ACTUALLY THE NAME HE WAS BORN WITH --
JAMES HOGUE --
BORN OCTOBER 22, 1959, AND RAISED IN KANSAS CITY.
I WASN'T A STAR STUDENT.
UH...
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD THAT AT MY HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WAS MORE A...
I THINK A FEW KIDS WENT TO COLLEGE, AND...
THE REST JUST, YOU KNOW,
WENT TO WORK AT A BANK OR SOMETHING.
JIM AND I WERE BEST FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WENT TO WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, KCK BOYS.
BOTH OF OUR DADS WORKED FOR THE RAILROAD.
OUR MOMS WERE HOMEMAKERS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T LIVE IN BIG HOUSES.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY TELLING US THAT,
"OH, GOSH, YOU GOT A LOT OF A's.
YOU KNOW, THEY'LL TAKE YOU AT HARVARD OR PRINCETON."
I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE JAMES WAS A DREAMER.
I WOULD SUSPECT THAT JAMES HAD VISIONS
OF A BIG HOME SOMEWHERE, AN AWESOME FAMILY,
SUCCESS, MONEY.
SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES WOULD BE MY GUESS.
Narrator: ALL OF JAMES HOGUE'S IDENTITIES
HAVE ONE TRUE THING IN COMMON.
Mark: JAMES WAS THE BEST RUNNER I EVER SAW.
HE WAS CERTAINLY THE BEST IN THIS AREA,
BEST IN MY HIGH SCHOOL, BEST IN THIS CITY,
BEST IN THE STATE WHEN HE WAS RUNNING.
PHENOMENAL.
IT GOT ME OUT OF THE GHETTO,
AND AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALL RIGHT.
I LIKED IT A LOT. YEAH, I WAS REALLY COMPETITIVE.
AND I LIKED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
I LIKED DOING THE TRAINING, AND I LIKED WINNING THE RACES.
I MEAN, HE WAS LIKE A SUPERHERO, TO ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE WAS --
HE HAD ABILITIES THAT NO ONE ELSE HAD.
NOT JUST A GOD-GIVEN GIFT TO RUN
BUT THE ABILITY TO HARNESS YOUR MIND,
WHICH IS SUPERPOWERS, TO ME.
Narrator: JAMES IS SO FAST,
HE'S OFFERED A FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING.
BUT WITH RECRUITED OLYMPIC ATHLETES ALSO ON THE TEAM,
SUDDENLY, JAMES ISN'T THE ONE WITH THE FASTEST FEET,
AND HIS RISING STAR STARTS TO FALL.
YOU PRETTY MUCH HAD TO BE A WORLD-RECORD HOLDER
OR AN OLYMPIC MEDALIST TO DO WELL IN THE COLLEGE MEETS.
JAMES WASN'T AT THE TOP OF THE PACK ANYMORE.
UM...
PROBABLY TOUGH FOR HIM TO DEAL WITH.
Narrator: JAMES DROPS OUT AFTER JUST TWO YEARS.
I WAS JUST SPENDING SO MUCH TIME TRAINING
AND FOOLING AROUND WITH COLLEGE STUFF
THAT I DIDN'T REALLY STUDY HARD ENOUGH
TO HAVE REALLY HIGH GRADES.
Narrator: IN 1985, AT AGE 25,
UNABLE TO COMPETE ON THE TRACK AND A COLLEGE DROPOUT,
JAMES DECIDES TO REWIND HIS LIFE
AND RETURN TO HIS HIGH-SCHOOL YEARS.
THIS IS WHEN HIS LIFE OF DECEPTION BEGINS.
HE HATCHES THE PLAN TO TAKE ON A NEW IDENTITY
AND STARTS WITH 16-YEAR-OLD JAY HUNTSMAN.
Hogue: SOMETIMES THE CRAZIEST IDEA
IS THE ONE THAT WILL WORK THE BEST
BECAUSE IT'S SO CRAZY,
NO ONE CAN CONCEIVE THAT YOU WOULD THINK OF THAT.
SO IT MUST BE TRUE.
Narrator: AS JAY, HE ENROLLS AT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL.
Hogue: I THOUGHT, "I'LL GO TO THIS HIGH SCHOOL FOR A YEAR
AND GET THE RESULTS I NEED."
Narrator: BUT FOR A MAN IN HIS 20s,
IT'S STRANGE TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN.
Hogue: YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LITTLE BEWILDERING
BECAUSE WHATEVER I'M DOING THERE IS...
COMPLETELY ALIEN TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I'M JUST KIND OF A DETACHED OBSERVER, I THINK.
BEING OLDER
AND NOT BEING SUBJECT TO THE "I NEED TO BE LIKED,"
"WHY DOES THIS GIRL NOT LIKE ME?"
"OR WHY DOESN'T THAT BOY LIKE ME?"...
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T CARE.
YOU KNOW? IT WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF FUN, YEAH.
Narrator: AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON,
JAMES HOGUE'S CAREER AS AN IMPOSTOR WAS IN FULL SWING.
OVER SIX YEARS, IN FIVE DIFFERENT CITIES,
HE PLOTTED AND LIED,
ALL TO ESCAPE HIS OWN IDENTITY, HIS REAL LIFE.
CHILDHOOD POVERTY, I THINK.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF.
IF I HAD LIVED IN A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD,
FOR SURE, YEAH, I WOULD'VE GONE TO HARVARD OR PRINCETON.
HE WANTED TO DEFINE HIMSELF AS SOMETHING MORE LOFTY,
AND THAT'S WHERE PRINCETON FITS IN
AND SOME OF THE OTHER LIES HE TOLD,
LIKE BEING A PhD GRADUATE OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
INSTANTLY, YOU'RE IMPRESSED WITH A PERSON LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT OFF JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
IT'S NOT LIKE I WAS CHEATING IN THE COURSES
OR CHEATING ON THE SCORES OR...
I THINK, YOU KNOW...
I APPRECIATED IT PROBABLY A LOT MORE THAN ALMOST EVERYBODY.
THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW SMART JAMES HOGUE IS, WAS.
A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE RUN PRINCETON,
A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE GO TO PRINCETON,
A LOT OF WELL-TO-DO FOLK THERE AT PRINCETON, YOU KNOW?
JAMES, MAN --
LITTLE KCK, WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL JAMES HOGUE
NOT ONLY GOT IN, HAD THEM PAY FOR IT.
PRINCETON GOT CONNED. THEY GOT TAKEN.
Narrator: BUT ON THAT MORNING AT PRINCETON,
WHEN ALEXI SANTANA'S DECEPTION IS REVEALED,
HIS ALTER EGO, JAMES HOGUE,
STARTS GETTING MORE ATTENTION
THAN HE COULD HAVE EVER WISHED FOR.
Sax: IT WAS HUGE. IT WAS IN EVERY SINGLE PAPER.
PRINCETON
AND THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT AT PRINCETON
WAS HORRIFIED AND EMBARRASSED AND SHOCKED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ON HIS SIDE
AND WERE CONSTANTLY CALLING OUR OFFICE
AND GIVING US ADVICE
ON HOW TO HANDLE THE CASE AND WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
A LOT OF THE FACULTY WERE REALLY SAYING,
"WELL, WE DON'T CARE.
"YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, THIS MAKES IT EVEN BETTER
BECAUSE IT WAS AUDACIOUS,"
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, "LET HIM STAY."
Narrator: BUT THE DEANS AT PRINCETON
DECLARE ALEXI SANTANA'S ADMISSION NULL AND VOID,
AND HE IS OFFICIALLY EXPUNGED FROM THE UNIVERSITY'S RECORDS.
EVEN WORSE FOR JAMES HOGUE,
PRINCETON PRESSES CRIMINAL CHARGES.
MISTAKES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE MADE EVEN AT A SMALL LEVEL,
AND THIS WAS THE MOST EGREGIOUS OF ALL MISTAKES
MADE BY THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK
PRINCETON SO AGGRESSIVELY WENT AFTER JAMES HOGUE
AND THREW EVERYTHING THEY COULD AT HIM.
JAMES HAD PULLED THE WOOL
OVER ALL THOSE RICH IVY LEAGUE PEOPLE.
I THOUGHT, ACTUALLY, IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY.
IT WAS JUST RANDOM CHANCE THAT HE GOT FOUND OUT.
I THINK THE ODDS OF HIM GETTING CAUGHT
WERE VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL.
Narrator: CHARGED FOR HIS UTAH PAROLE VIOLATION,
JAMES HOGUE ALSO PLEADS GUILTY
TO THE CHARGES OF THEFT BY DECEPTION.
HE IS SENTENCED TO NINE MONTHS IN PRISON.
I REALLY DISAGREED WITH THE APPROACH THAT PRINCETON TOOK.
I MEAN, I LOVE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY,
BUT SOMEBODY WHO IS AS SMART, AS INTELLIGENT AS ALEXI,
AS JAMES HOGUE,
I WOULD THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE A WAY
TO INTEGRATE HIM INTO SOCIETY.
HE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND THOUGHT INTO THIS,
WHICH MAKES YOU REALLY WONDER,
"IF THIS IS A PERSON WHO JUST KIND OF APPLIED THEMSELVES
"AND ACTUALLY DONE SOMETHING
"WITH THEIR IMAGINATION AND THEIR SMARTS,
TAKE THAT INTELLIGENCE AND JUST DO SOMETHING POSITIVE."
JAMES HOGUE COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING HE WANTED TO BE,
AND THAT'S THE TRUTH.
I WOULD PROBABLY BE A PROFESSOR AT PRINCETON RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: BUT INSTEAD, AFTER SERVING HIS SENTENCE,
JAMES HOGUE DRIFTS FROM STATE TO STATE,
WHERE HE IS CAUGHT AND CONVICTED TIME AND TIME AGAIN
FOR THEFT AND OTHER MINOR FELONIES,
INCLUDING CONNING ANOTHER IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL -- HARVARD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SAD TO THINK OF WHAT HE WASTED,
YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THESE -- ALL THIS STUPIDITY, REALLY.
AS SMART AS HE WAS, IT WAS ALL A WASTE.
Hogue: THIS WHOLE THING --
YOU KNOW, FROM BOTTOM TO TOP, WAS A LIE,
AND SO THAT'S BAD.
I HAVE REMORSE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT BELIEVED MY STORY
AND WERE UPSET ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOOD TO BE ALWAYS FABRICATING THESE LIES,
AND, UH...
THAT'S ONE OF THE WORST THINGS WE CAN DO IS LIE TO SOMEBODY.