I try not to think the worst of people... maybe the old man wasn't trying to con anybody (out of money, at least) but was senile, or just lonely and craved the attention. I vaguely recalled hearing the story (didn't his obituary list him as the man in the gorilla suit, or something like that?) but I've never read it and don't know if he made any money off the deception.

A perfect Monster has no end...