"Brettler had been living a double life. He'd convinced Sharma he was 'Zac Ismailov,' the son of a fictitious Russian oligarch, and was poised to inherit more than $270 million."
"Zac is an underachieving fabulist with an Instagram-fueled ambition to bypass hard work and conventional success to become a high-roller."
"In the end, Zac - who pretended to be rich - and Sharma - who pretended to be his mentor - were both imposters."
"As Keefe writes, they 'were caught up in the glitzy, mercenary aspirational culture of modern London.'"
Brettler, under the alias 'Zac Ismailov,' deceived Sharma into believing he was the heir to a fortune. Sharma discovered the truth shortly before Brettler's death. The narrative explores the investigation into Brettler's life and death, revealing themes of deception and ambition. Zac, an underachiever, sought wealth without effort, while Sharma viewed him as a potential score. Both characters embodied the pitfalls of London's mercenary culture, ultimately leading to their demise as imposters in a world driven by aspiration.
Read at Kqed
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