“Faking it: the man who tried to game the media system” is the story of Ludovic Zanker, who appears to be one of the most well-connected men in Europe. For over a decade he’s been presenting himself as a political consultant, ready to provide advice to high-profile figures about international affairs. Media outlets have interviewed him as an expert on topics as diverse as the Russia sanctions and the Afghanistan crisis to Brexit and Europe’s vaccination strategy believing him to be a figure at heart of diplomatic negotiations. The problem is, his entire persona is a fabrication. But to what extent has Zanker been able to trick the world? And what does his scam say about us?