How Did a French Imposter Manage to Pose for 6 Months as a Vanished Teen Runaway?

In 1994, a 13-year-old, blond, blue-eyed boy Nicholas Barclay vanished without a trace from his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Then, three years later, a brown-haired, brown-eyed man with a unusual accent showed up. And he claimed to be the missing teen. But that’s just the beginning.

Because this is the insanely weird and story of the French imposter and identity thief who kept a family fooled for six months.

The Disappearance

On June 13, 1994, 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay had been playing basketball with friends near his San Antonio, Texas, home. When the game was over, he used a payphone to call for a ride, but his uncle, Jason, refused, telling Nicholas he would have to walk instead.

Troubled Childhood

[dx_custom_adunit desktop_id=”RTK_K67O” mobile_id=”RTK_5yk0″]

Nicholas wasn’t exactly the easiest 13-year-old to raise. He and his mother, Beverly, had a difficult relationship, he would get into trouble at school on a regular basis, and his reputation kept him from hanging out with more than a few kids.

Probable Runaway

Nicholas had a pattern of running away from home, usually only for a day at a time. He was also scheduled to appear in court on June 14, so the police assumption was that he had left on his own in order to avoid it.

Without a Trace

Days passed, and it became clear to the Barclay family that something wasn’t right. When authorities came to the home to investigate, they discovered that Nicholas had left without taking any of his belongings, and the fact that he’d only had $5 on him at the time made things even stranger.