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This week, Iain tells the story of Gregor MacGregor, a 19th-century trickster who took con artistry to a whole new level. In 1820, Gregor invented his own country – complete with a national flag and even a currency – and managed to convince hundreds of British people to uproot their lives and move thousands of miles away, under the false pretence of a prosperous new life in South America.

Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling is available weekly on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode. Email us at lauraandiain@bbc.co.uk.