Lord Byron in his satirical poem, Don Juan, originated the phrase, truth is stranger than fiction, to poke fun at his protagonist's string of dysfunctional relationships with women. The phrase is now a common refrain to events that happen in real life that would baffle even the most imaginative fiction writer. The stories, which are often well documented for public consumption, range from kidnappings to elaborate cons and charismatic cult leaders, immortalizing Lord Byron's sarcastic remark about how wild life can be.

1. Abducted in Plain Sight

In this true crime documentary, a family falls prey to the manipulative charms of a neighbour who abducts their adolescent daughter (Jan Broberg). He convinces Jan's family that the only way to save their lives from alien abduction is if he has sex with Jan.

2. Fyre Festival

The Fyre Festival was billed as a luxury music experience on a posh private island, but it failed spectacularly in the hands of a cocky entrepreneur. Read a review of the show here.

3. Evil Genuis

This baffling true crime story starts with the grisly death of a pizza man who robs a bank with a bomb around his neck -- and gets weirder from there.

4. Wild Wild Country

When a controversial cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.

5. Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief

Alex Gibney's exposé about the controversial church of Scientology and it's charismatic leader, L. Ron Hubbard, shows how incredibly malleable humanity's belief systems can be.