mastermind

A man tricking a hospital receptionist is not exactly a criminal mastermind.

From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026

Najib, 73, had a close relationship with Jho Low, the fugitive Malaysian financier and alleged mastermind of the scheme.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

But a quarter of a century on, the trial of its alleged mastermind is yet to begin and families of those killed fear that time for justice to be delivered is running out.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

“He wasn’t the mastermind behind this ... he was following orders just like everybody else was.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

“The Gestapo could not imagine that a sixteen-year-old boy could mastermind such a conspiracy,” said Karl.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

The boys are not masterminds; the victims are not fools.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

Of the 32 apprehended, only two were convicted, Al-Saadi said, and they were little more than foot soldiers to masterminds of the operation who had already escaped.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026

The church had previous accused successive governments of failing to identify the masterminds behind the bombings.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

The movie will be directed by Dune's Denis Villeneuve and is currently in development and being overseen by Amazon MGM Studios after long-serving masterminds Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson stood down in February.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2025

The boy who had thought of a mouse to turn his windmill had thought out some of the sublimest things in nature, and was henceforward to rank as one of the few masterminds of science.

From Famous Men of Science by Sarah K. Bolton

Trump calls Wiles the "ice maiden" after the Florida political operative masterminded his 2024 election win, and until recently the first ever female chief had maintained steely discipline at the White House.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

A whole new genre of celebrity divorce: Slate’s Scaachi Koul considers how Bunnie Xo, an archetypical “Cool Girl,” seems to have masterminded a new strategy for getting divorced in the public eye.

From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026

By comparison, the total illegal profit from the insider-trading scheme masterminded by hedge-fund titan Raj Rajaratnam was $53.8 million.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

But the resignation was also the result of an internal power struggle between Gray and the man who would replace her: Morgan McSweeney, who had masterminded Labour's 2024 election victory.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

Or this bit about Nick: “Everyone agrees that Nick Allen masterminded this plot that cleverly raises issues about free speech and academic rules. He is the boy who invented the new word.”

From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements

They square the circle of Swift masterminding a full-scale trolling of media and fans while simultaneously hosting a cotton-candy celebrity circus where an awkward wallflower finally, triumphantly blooms.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

South Korea's ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol has been jailed for life for masterminding an insurrection by trying to impose military rule.

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

She defended Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, who were indicted for masterminding two of the biggest leaks of intelligence secrets in U.S. history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026

Low is alleged to have gained his wealth after masterminding a scheme to steal billions from 1Malaysia Development Bhd., or 1MDB, a Malaysian sovereign-wealth fund.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

Postecoglou lasted just two turbulent seasons as Tottenham boss before being sacked in June -- only 16 days after masterminding their Europa League final victory over Manchester United.

From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2025