A closer look
Identity theft is not a joke, unless you're a Russian peasant trying to steal the throne. After the young heir to the Russian throne, Dmitry, was mysteriously murdered in 1591, a rumor started that he actually survived. During the 'Time of Troubles,' at least three different guys known as the 'False Dmitrys' managed to convince huge armies that they were the rightful heir. The first one literally ruled Russia for nearly a year before being murdered, burned to ashes, and fired out of a cannon back toward Poland. The fact that the scam worked multiple times proves the Russian public was desperate for literally anyone else.
