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Margita Bangová (c. 1936–), also known as Margita Horváthová, is a notorious Motto: Diversity Our Strength Map of Ontario Counties, Toronto being red Area: 641 sq. ...Toronto_based panhandler and alleged A confidence trick, confidence game, or con for short, (also known as a scam) is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the mark) usually with the goal of financial or other gain. ...con artist.
Background Bangová, a A Gypsy may be: any member of any nomadic people (the term is allegedly considered derogatory), especially: the Rroma and Sinti, found worldwide but mainly in Europe; and Travellers found mainly in Great Britain, Ireland and the United States. ...Gypsy from Czechoslovakia ( Czech: Československo, Slovak: Česko_Slovensko/before 1990 Československo) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1992 (except for the World War II period). ...Czechoslovakia, entered Canada is an independent sovereign state in northern North America, the northern_most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ...Canada as a Power lines leading to a trash dump hover just overhead in El Carpio, a Nicaraguan refugee camp in Costa Rica Under international law, a refugee is a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well_founded fear of persecution because of his/her...refugee in 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Reef. ...1997. She received social assistance from the government which she supplemented by panhandling.
She became a widely recognized fixture in Toronto on Bloor Street between Yonge Street in Toronto before a marathon Yonge Street (pronounced young), located in Ontario, Canada, is a major arterial street in Toronto and a provincial highway. ...Yonge and Bay Street is a street in downtown Toronto, Ontario Canada. ...Bay where she would beg behind a hand_lettered cardboard sign reading, "PLEASE HELP I AM VERY SICK I WILL PRAY FOR YOU THANK YOU". With her shabby clothing, cane, and apparently uncontrollable full_body trembling, she became known as the "Shaky Lady" and was regarded as a wretched object of pity.
Media exposure Local residents and police became suspicious of Bangova when they noticed that she would stop shaking completely at the end of the day and spryly walk away with her earnings. In March 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...2002, local journalists Mike Strobel and Alex Urosevic began secretly observing Bangova. In a series of articles in the The Toronto Sun is a large English language newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ...Toronto Sun, they claimed that she typically employs two burly bodyguards to watch over her while she shakes and begs for a five_hour shift. She then suddenly gets up and, without a hint of the uncontrollable trembling she uses to elicit handouts, swiftly walks around the block to a waiting car. She is then driven to her east_end apartment which has leather furniture, a big_screen television, and a computer. Based on their observations, Strobel and Urosevic estimate Bangova pulls in $2500 per week from her panhandling.
Strobel later discovered a The word Czech may refer to: the Czech people, historical inhabitants of Bohemia, Moravia and the Czech part of Silesia. ...Czech television A documentary is a work in a visual or auditory medium presenting political, scientific, social, or historical subjects in a factual and informative manner. ...documentary on Gypsies who had Emigration is the action and the phenomenon of leaving ones native country to settle abroad. ...emigrated to Canada. Bangova is featured prominently in the show, appearing healthy and wearing "classy" clothing. When she is interviewed she claims to be very happy and well_fed and urges other Gypsies to emigrate to Canada.
After the publication of Strobel's first article, he and This is a list of notable photographers in the art, documentary and fashion traditions. ...photographer Ernest Doroszuk travelled to Bangova's apartment to request an interview. Strobel claims they were invited into the apartment but were soon recognized and beaten by Bangova and her husband.
One week after the Sun printed the stories, Bangova retained the services of For information on the type of fish called Lawyer, see the article on Burbot. ...lawyer Leonard Hochberg and held a press conference. Hochberg, speaking of behalf of Bangova, insisted that his client trembles because of a medical condition and panhandles to supplement her disability pension of $900 per month. He claimed that Bangova's income from begging is usually no more than $40 to $50 per day.
Bangova has found it difficult to continue panhandling in Toronto since her media coverage there. She has since taken to travelling to nearby cities to beg, being spotted in The Horseshoe Falls, one of the three Niagara Falls. ...Niagara Falls, Orillia (2001 population 29,121) is a city on in south_central Ontario, Canada on Lake Couchiching, where it flows from Lake Simcoe, in Simcoe County towards Georgian Bay (Lake Huron). ...Orillia, Motto: Advance Ottawa/Ottawa en avant Area: 2,778. ...Ottawa, This article refers to the City of Hamilton, Ontario. ...Hamilton, This article refers to the largest city of Michigan. ...Detroit, and This article needs cleanup. ...Montreal.
Public reaction The exposé of Bangova was quick to draw criticism from the public and from other journalists. Many were unhappy with Strobel's treatment of Bangova, claiming that she was serving as a convenient scapegoat and deflecting attention from the real causes of poverty. Toronto's legitimate homeless panhandlers reported a significant decline in donations and handouts and blamed Bangova and/or Strobel's articles for inciting public distrust of beggars.
Other Toronto residents, especially those who had personally given money to Bangova or seen her apparently healthy and physically active during her off hours, expressed appreciation for the media coverage. Some people said that the articles proved how difficult it was to distinguish con artists from people with legitimate problems, and urged others to donate to Homeless shelters are places for people to stay temporarily when they otherwise would have to sleep on the street, similar to emergency shelters. ...homeless shelters and other recognized Charity is a term in Christian theology (one of the three virtues), meaning loving kindness towards others; it is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. ...charities instead of giving money directly to panhandlers.
Criminal activity Bangova has never been formally charged with criminal misconduct for her begging tactics because panhandling is not a crime in Toronto. Instead, police officers occasionally warn residents and tourists not to give money to Bangova.
In July 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...2002, Bangova was recognized by local resident Doreen Willcocks, who tried to dissuade a man about to give her $50. Bangova responded by attacking Willcocks with her cane; she was subsequently charged with and found guilty of Assault is the crime of violence against another person. ...assault.
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