It was one of the biggest game show scandals in recent decades. In September 2001, Charles Ingram joined the British edition of “Millionaires”. The participant walked like a storm. Although he was visibly stressed, he managed to answer all the questions.
Millionaires. Fraud in the program, loss of job instead of a million
The player used all the lifelines, and when he chose the correct variant on the 15th question, the host hailed him as a millionaire. Shortly thereafter, information appeared that the participant had been accused of fraud. Ingram was refused the award, but he created his own entry on Wikipedia.
The game show production realized that something was wrong during the recordings. The participant took a lot of risks and played in a very unusual way. One of the questions he heard was about the “Born to Do It” album. The player had to indicate who its author was. Ingram asked for a 50/50 lifeline, and although he had previously bet on a different answer, he selected Craig David almost without hesitation. He previously admitted that he had never heard of the musician.
– 80 percent I get it wrong sometimes when I try to guess, so I’ll mark Craig, said the participant. The sudden and illogical or unjustified change in answer was not the last one the player made. He took a similar risk even with the half-million and million-dollar question. The suspicion of the game show producers was therefore fully justified.
He cheated on Millionaires. He appeared in court with his wife and friend
After the recordings ended, the player was thoroughly searched, but no evidence of cheating was found. However, a new lead in the case soon emerged. Ingram came to the studio with his wife, Diana, and friend Tecwen Whittock. They helped him win a staggering amount of one million pounds. A recording has appeared on YouTube, clearly showing how the three fraudsters are trying to outwit the producers of the program.
When a participant did not know the answer to a question, he or she began to think aloud about each question in turn. When he talked about the correct variant, his wife or friend started coughing. It was a prearranged signal.
The novelist and former British Army major, along with his wife and friend, appeared in court, but pleaded not guilty to the charges. In 2003, they were found guilty and sentenced to suspended prison terms. All three also had to pay a fine and cover the costs of court proceedings. Additionally, the player was dismissed from the position of major after 16 years of service, but this did not affect his right to a military pension.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
