What’s a little lie? Well, in the case of Brian Williams and his now-recanted story of being in a wartime helicopter attack, it could mean a career-damaging loss of reputation. But the news anchor is far from the only boldface name to have fibbed in such a way. Plenty of politicians, celebrities and prominent business people have been caught telling a white lie (as opposed to a much more dramatic lie — think President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky or the Lance Armstrong doping scandal). But even seemingly harmless misstatements or similar dishonest acts can sometimes blow up. Consider these five examples…

Joe Biden at the Caribbean Energy Security Summit in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 26, 2015 Getty Images

Joe Biden

When the current vice president was running for president, it was uncovered in 1987 that he was lifting from speeches given by British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock. That was followed by news he had also used large chunks of speeches by Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey. And that’s on top of reports of Biden having plagiarized a paper he wrote in law school and having claimed educational degrees he failed to earn. The lies caught up with Biden and he stepped down as a candidate. But obviously, Biden has lived on politically, even though some critics have said his past should not be forgotten.

Chef Robert Irvine signs copies of his book, "Impossible to Easy" Getty Images

Robert Irvine

The celebrity chef of “Dinner: Impossible” fame once boasted quite the résumé, saying he studied nutrition at the University of Leeds, served heads of state as a White House chef and even was crowned a British knight. But a 2008 investigation by Florida’s St. Petersburg Times found such claims to be untrue. While the news resulted in Irvine’s Food Network contract not being renewed, it didn’t seem to cause long-term damage: Irvine returned to the network within a year and has been a fixture ever since.

Scott Thompson Yahoo

Scott Thompson

The onetime Yahoo CEO portrayed himself as a man of multiple degrees — specifically, ones in computer science and accounting. But just a few months after joining the online giant in 2012, it was revealed that he didn’t have the computer science degree. Thompson resigned as a result, though he apparently defended the academic misstatements to Yahoo colleagues. Today, Thompson is the CEO of ShopRunner, an online shopping service.

Jack and Meg White of the White Stripes at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards Getty Images

White Stripes

The rock duo that came to define a kind of less-is-more coolness also came with a cool back story — namely, that member Jack and Meg White grew up as brother and sister. But by 2001, word got out that they were once a married couple. Time magazine said it was “remarkable” that the “sibling ruse” lasted for so long (about four years). Jack White didn’t talk about the lie for several years. But eventually, he explained to Rolling Stone the rationale behind it — namely, he thought that if the public knew the couple’s romantic history, they might focus more on that. “When they’re brother and sister, you go, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ You care more about the music, not the relationship.” The duo parted ways in 2011, though Jack White now has a strong solo career. In any case, the white lie didn’t seem to affect the White Stripes — if anything, it added to the duo’s mystique.

Kittiratt Na-Ranong Bloomberg

Kittiratt Na-Ranong

Sure, plenty of politicians tell white lies. But it’s rare for one to cop to that very fact. Such was the case in 2012 when it was learned that Na-Ranong, Thailand’s deputy prime minister, had overstated the country’s growth projections for exports. The politician’s defense? Deception can sometimes be for the best. Or to quote his exact words: “The world knows this as a ‘white lie.’ The goal is to create confidence, which in turn benefits the country as a whole.” While the lie initially resulted in calls for Na-Ranong’s resignation, it did the politician little harm in the long run: A government ombudsman later cleared Na-Ranong of any ethical misconduct.