John Scott, often called John Scott of Long Island, was a royal adviser, military leader, spy, cartographer, attorney, land speculator, and early settler and leader of Long Island. He lobbied to make Long Island a colony in North America with himself as governor and, when not appointed by the crown, was elected President of Long Island by that region's leaders. He was often in financial and legal trouble through land speculation and other enterprises and has been called a swindler and scoundrel. He was the principal accuser in the plot leading to the imprisonment of Samuel Pepys in 1679.