Terrifying Facts About Frédéric Bourdin, The King Of Imposters
An adult pretending to be a child and slithering their way into forbidden places? This isn’t just the plot of the horror movie Orphan, it was Frédéric Bourdin’s real life. The King of Imposters spent his troubled days impersonating hundreds of imaginary boys—and getting away with it—until he took it way too far.
1. He Had A Broken Family
On June 13, 1974, Frédéric Pierre Bourdin was born to 18-year-old Ghislaine Bourdin—a broke factory worker. Officially, the young mother listed the father as unknown, despite knowing his true identity.
The mystery man was Kaci, her 25-year-old co-worker.
Sadly, her love story turned into heartbreak after Ghislaine discovered not only her pregnancy but also that Kaci was already married. She quit her job, ghosted him, and set out to raise Frédéric on her own. Despite the circumstances, Frédéric seemed like a normal baby. But Ghislaine was anything but a normal mother—and her newborn paid the price.
2. He Had A Bad Mom
Ghislaine and Frédéric were a family until he was three years old. That's when fate intervened in the form of child services. Her parents instigated a custody battle that revealed Ghislaine's abysmal mothering.
She had a reputation for drinking and dancing her way through town as if baby Frédéric wasn’t waiting at home for her. The senior Bourdins emerged victorious with custody of their grandson.
And just like that, Frédéric became estranged from his mother.
3. He Witnessed True Horror
Frédéric rarely saw Ghislaine—and whenever that happened, he wished it hadn’t. He accused his mother of deceiving him for the thrill of terrifying him. In particular, Frédéric insists she pretended to be incredibly ill. Though Ghislaine denies this, she did make one chilling confession.
She admitted to attempting to take her own life in front of him. As such, the elder Bourdins took Frédéric in hopes of saving him, but he could never escape his family's demons.
Mystery of missing boy Nicholas Barclay and his imposter Frédéric Bourdin , 60 Minutes Australia
4. He Told Tall Tales
Five-year-old Frédéric and his grandparents moved to a small French town where he learned the hard way how mean people can be. Part Algerian, fatherless, and poor—he didn’t stand a chance. To cope, he began telling tall tales.
Most notably, Frédéric insisted his father wasn’t around because he was a spy. Despite the obviously fictional stories, teachers couldn’t help but be drawn to the imaginative child. But in the end, what the adults saw disturbed them.
Mystery of missing boy Nicholas Barclay and his imposter Frédéric Bourdin , 60 Minutes Australia