Semyon Lvovich Gendlin was born in 1939 in Kharkov. His father was a professor, his mother was a candidate of sciences. The parents hoped that their son would follow in their footsteps. Thanks to their efforts, the boy learned to read and count early. Gendlin since childhood was vain and had an acting talent, which helped him build an extraordinary career.
Black box
After graduating from school, Gendlin got a job as a mechanic at an electromechanical plant. But he soon realized that he did not want to live like this any longer. Semyon wanted not only money, but also honor. In the 60s, physicists enjoyed special respect. And Semyon, having forged a diploma of higher education, went to work at the Kharkov Institute of Medical Radiology. Gendlin immediately informed the management that he would soon become a candidate of technical sciences, and confirmed his words with the corresponding document, also, of course, fake.
One day a commission came to the institute. Gendlin needed to provide its members with the results of their labors, which did not exist. Then he showed the experts a black metal box, and to all the scientists' questions regarding the purpose of this apparatus, he answered that it was a secret project and he had no right to talk about it. That same evening, at a banquet, he enlisted the support of several scientific luminaries, heated with alcohol.
Mysterious crystal
Gendlin decided to continue his career at the Leningrad Institute of Aviation Instrumentation, where he was welcomed with open arms. None of the staff really knew what the eminent "scientist" was doing in his laboratory. They were afraid to bother a talented colleague so as not to interfere with his work. However, after a few months they still had to do it. Semyon Lvovich immediately announced that he was developing a memory device that functions with the help of a certain crystal. The stone was in a box, which Gendlin proudly displayed. However, he refused to open the box, explaining that light adversely affects the properties of the crystal.
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Suspicions
Having once again forged documents, Semyon Lvovich Gendlin becomes a doctor of sciences. In this regard, not only his weight in the scientific community is growing, but also his salary. If at the beginning of his career he received 88 rubles a month, now he had all 350.
But Gendlin's subordinates saw through him. Realizing that the others will also reveal him soon, Gendlin leaves for the Institute of Electrical Measuring Instruments. However, he takes with him those very subordinates who, until recently, accused him of incompetence. Gendlin promised the young specialists a career and a high salary, and they agreed.
Actor under arrest
The deception was revealed when Gendlin needed access to secret developments. It became clear that all the documents of the scientist were fake. Gendlin immediately starts running. However, he is arrested. But even while in custody, Semyon Lvovich continues to play. Admitting that diplomas are indeed fake, he declares that a genius does not need documents at all. This is, they say, a simple formality necessary for your favorite work. And when it comes to the results of searches, during which no fruits of Gendlin's scientific activity were found, he assures the investigator that he himself destroyed everything because of the secrecy of the projects entrusted to him.
Semyon Lvovich Gendlin was sentenced to 10 years for fraud, as a result of which he enriched himself with a total of 6,500 rubles he received as wages.
In 1990, Gendlin moved to Israel permanently.