Murray Beresford Roberts

Murray Beresford Roberts (10 August 1919 – 5 August 1974) was an Australian-New Zealand confidence trickster and thief.

Roberts was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1919. He attended Newington College in Sydney in 1931, when his parents lived in Double Bay, New South Wales, and Auckland Grammar School in New Zealand.

After dropping out of the University of Otago medical school when caught cheating at an exam Roberts spent his life impersonating medics, military men, writers and academics. When each charade fell through, he would move to a new town and new circle of targets. One of his employers was his Sydney alma mater, Newington College, until his lack of teaching credentials became apparent. He reinforced the old saying that New Zealand exports its criminals to Australia.

Roberts' roles included: Assistant medical director of the New Zealand Division (Army), a naval surgeon commander, governor general designate, professor of neuropsychiatry, manager of Barclays Bank, a major general, atomic scientist, High Court judge, famous German industrialist, a well-known author, professor of Classics. Many seem to have been undertaken for the pleasure he obtained rather than financial gain.

He had a son from the first of his two marriages made in Australia. He died in Papakura New Zealand 5 August 1974. His autobiography was published posthumously.