Count Alessandro Cagliostro

Cagliostro was an Italian traveler, occultist and a freemason. He was a charlatan – a person who practices tricks but is actually a quack. As a charlatan he was called Giuseppe Balsamo.

Nothing much is known about the early life of Balsamo, only this much is clear that he was born in a poor family with a criminal mentality. He robbed many on the pretext of being a master of alchemy. Though when he was put on trail, he did wind up a number of stories, which were later dismissed as fairy tales that all criminals say in the trials. He said that he was born an orphan but was actually of noble birth. He also acknowledged that he knew a lot from the Kabbalah and occult.

He was a very famous alchemist in Rome and recommended very highly in the courts. The very first case in which he was caught was a famous diamond necklace case in which he was arrested in France but later on he was set free as no evidences were found. Though he was again arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to death but later Pope changed it to life sentence. He died in the prison. He was an excellent forger with excellent occult skills. He also gave a huge part of all the acquired money of his in charity.