Clifford Michael Irving was an American writer and investigative journalist, best known for orchestrating one of the greatest literary hoaxes of the 20th century. Before the controversy, he had already published several novels and non-fiction works, including *Fake!* (1969), the biography of the famous art forger Elmyr de Hory. His career was, however, defined by the fraudulent autobiography of the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, which he sold to publisher McGraw-Hill in the early 1970s. After the fraud was exposed, Irving served a prison sentence. He later continued his prolific writing career, publishing numerous fiction and non-fiction books. Among his most significant works is *The Hoax*, his own account of the affair. Although he did not receive major literary awards, his name has remained embedded in popular culture, and his story was adapted into the 2006 film *The Hoax*, starring Richard Gere.