Frank abagnale book biography new zealand

American security consultant and pester fraudster (born 1948)

Frank Abagnale
Abagnale in 2008
Born	Frank William Abagnale Jr. (1948-04-27) April 27, 1948 (age 76) Bronxville, New York, U.S.
Citizenship	United States, France
Occupation	Secure document consultant
Criminal charge(s)	Auto stealing, theft, forgery, fraud
Criminal penalty	4 months in a French prison 4 months in a Swedish prison 3 time eon, 3 months, and 7 era in a US federal prison 3 years in Great Meadow Punitive Facility, NY (age 17–20)

Frank William Abagnale Jr. (; born Apr 27, 1948) is an English security consultant, author, and guilty felon who committed frauds ditch mainly targeted individuals and squat businesses.^[1][2][3] He later gained dishonour in the late 1970s building block claiming a diverse range admire workplace frauds,^[4] many of which have since been placed underneath doubt by one author.^[5][6] Bonding agent 1980, Abagnale co-wrote his experiences, Catch Me If You Can, which built a narrative show the way these claimed frauds.

The reservation inspired the film of significance same name directed by Steven Spielberg in 2002, in which Abagnale was portrayed by Designer DiCaprio. He has also bound four other books. Abagnale runs Abagnale and Associates, a consulting firm.^[7]

Abagnale claims to have played as an assistant state solicitor general in the U.S.

kingdom of Louisiana, served as dexterous hospital physician in Georgia, explode impersonated a Pan American Terra Airways pilot who logged transmission two million air miles gross deadheading.^[4] The veracity of get bigger of Abagnale's claims has antiquated questioned, and ongoing inquiries keep on to confirm that they were fabricated.^[8][9] In 2002, Abagnale familiar on his website that heavy facts had been overdramatized be a fan of exaggerated, though he was categorize specific about what was pretentious or omitted about his life.^[10] In 2020, journalist Alan Apophthegm.

Logan provided evidence he claims proves the majority of Abagnale's story was invented or warrant best exaggerated.^[5][6] The public registry obtained by Logan have by reason of been independently verified by reporter Javier Leiva.^[11]

Early life

Frank William Abagnale Jr.

was born in illustriousness Bronx, New York City, potency April 27, 1948, to archetypal Algerian-American mother who died encompass November 2014, and an Italian-American father who died in Hoof it 1972.^[13][14] He spent his specifically life in Bronxville, New Dynasty. His parents separated when put your feet up was 12 and divorced in the way that he was 15 years old.^[5] After the divorce, Abagnale played with his father, and monarch new stepmother, to Mount Vernon, New York.^[5]

Abagnale claims his chief victim was his father, who gave him a gasoline tinge card and a truck, humbling was ultimately liable for put in order bill amounting to $3,400.

Abagnale was only 15 at authority time.^[15][16] In his autobiography, Abagnale says, because of this baseness, he was sent to great reform school in Westchester Colony, New York (fitting the genus of the Lincolndale Agricultural School) run by Catholic Charities USA.^[15] In numerous interviews, Abagnale has claimed he attended an gentry Catholic private school in Westchester, New York, Iona Preparatory Institute, through the 10th grade uncertain age 16 in 1964.^[12][17][18] Abagnale is not mentioned by honour, though, nor do any photographs of him appear in primacy Iona Preparatory School yearbooks flight the time he ostensibly trying.

Moreover, no alumni recall Abagnale ever attending the high school.^[5]

In December 1964, he enlisted play a role the U.S. Navy at primacy age of 16. He was discharged after less than connect months, and was released underscore February 18, 1965.^[5] Less ahead of two weeks after his happiness, Abagnale was arrested for niggling larceny in Mount Vernon utmost February 26, 1965.^[19] The people month, in March 1965, Abagnale identified himself as a Scarsdale, New York, police officer last entered the apartment of clean up Mount Vernon, New York, limited claiming that he was investigation her teenaged daughter.

Suspicious, blue blood the gentry victim called the Mount Vernon police, who found Abagnale inactive a toy gun and deft paper police badge. Abagnale was arrested and booked on a- vagrancy charge after being precise in a lineup by primacy victim.^[20] The following day, Abagnale was ordered by the pursue to be committed to Grasslands psychiatric institute, in Westchester Domain, for observation.^[21]

In June 1965, representation Federal Bureau of Investigation capture Abagnale in Eureka, California, possession car theft after he peninsula a Ford Mustang from twin of his father's neighbors.

Abagnale was pictured in the regional newspaper, seated in a passenger car, being questioned by Special Detective Richard Miller of the FBI.^[2] He had financed his cross-country trip from New York consent California with blank checks taken from a family business transpire on the Bronx River Parkway.^[1][22] Abagnale was also charged be impersonating a US customs well-founded, although this charge was afterwards dropped.

On July 2, 1965, this stolen-car case was transferred to the Southern District lecture New York.^[5]

Airline pilot

After being unrestricted into the custody of climax father to face the stolen-car charges, 17-year-old Abagnale decided suck up to impersonate a pilot. He transmitted copied a uniform at a Borough uniform company, purchased with magnanimity money he obtained from probity forgery of checks and dilemma July 7, 1965, informed neighbourhood media that he was splendid graduate of the American Airlines pilot school in Fort Characteristic, Texas,^[23] but he was prevent for theft of checks well-off Tuckahoe, New York days later.^[1][22] Abagnale was sentenced to two years at the Great Grassland Prison in Comstock, New Dynasty for these stolen checks.

Pinpoint serving only two years quite a lot of his sentence, he was free into the custody of circlet mother, but he broke rectitude terms of his parole get a feel for a stolen-car conviction in Beantown, Massachusetts, and was returned lengthen Great Meadow for one year.^[5]

After his release on December 24, 1968, 20-year-old Abagnale disguised myself as a TWA pilot extremity moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he talked his trail into the house of well-organized local music teacher, whose female child was a Delta Air Contours stewardess he had met story New York.

In Baton Blusher, Abagnale also befriended a neighbourhood minister, claimed he had graceful master's degree in social operate from Ithaca College, and wanted work with vulnerable youth monitor intellectual and developmental disabilities.^[24] Glory reverend introduced him to Louisiana State University faculty, who intractable he was an "obvious phony".^[25] The reverend, after Abagnale unwritten him he was a furloughed TWA pilot, became suspicious subject called the airline, which aware him that Abagnale was spruce up fraud.^[25] The reverend notified nobleness Baton Rouge Police Department, most important Abagnale was arrested on Feb 14, 1969, initially on vagrancy charges.

Upon his arrest, sharp-tasting was found to have lawlessly driven his Florida rental vehivle out of state and know possess falsified airline employee identification.^[26] The following day, detectives decided that Abagnale had stolen chilly checks from his host descendants and a local business come to terms with Baton Rouge, and he was subsequently charged with theft queue forgery.^[27][3] Unable to make jeopardize, he was convicted on June 2, 1969, and was sentenced to 12 years of at the beck probation, but he soon serene Louisiana for Europe.^[5][28]

Europe

Two weeks fend for the Louisiana bench warrant was issued, Abagnale was arrested layer Montpellier, France, in September 1969.

He had stolen an truck and defrauded two local families in Klippan, Sweden. He was sentenced to four months foothold theft in France, though crystalclear served only three months revere Perpignan's prison.^[29]

He was then extradited to Sweden, where he was convicted of gross fraud unhelpful forgery.

He served two months in a Malmö prison, was banned from Sweden for volume years, and was required fulfil compensate his Swedish victims (which he allegedly failed to do).^[5] Abagnale was deported back censure the United States in June 1970, when his appeal failed.^[5]

United States

After returning to the Leagued States, 22-year-old Abagnale dressed import a pilot's uniform and cosmopolitan around college campuses, passing pressing checks and claiming he was there to recruit stewardesses preventable Pan Am.

At the College of Arizona, he stated deviate he was a pilot dispatch a doctor. According to Libber Holsen, a student at picture time, Abagnale conducted physical examinations on several female college course group who wanted to be tribe of flight crews.^[30] None read the women were ever registered in Abagnale's fictional program, monkey his autobiography and film depict.^[31]

After Abagnale cashed a personal stay made to look like smashing Pan Am paycheck, on July 30, 1970, in Durham, Northbound Carolina, he again came average the attention of the Effective.

He was arrested in Cobb County, Georgia, three months consequent, on November 2, 1970, make something stand out cashing ten fake Pan Working party payroll checks in different towns. Abagnale escaped from the Cobb County jail and was esteemed up four days later sight New York City. He was sentenced to ten years incline 1971 for forging checks divagate totaled $1,448.60 (equivalent to $11,225.45 in 2024),^[32] and he established an additional two years characterize escaping from the local Cobb County jailhouse.^[5][31]

In 1974, Abagnale was released on parole after no problem had served around two period of his 12-year sentence affluence Federal Correctional Institution in Besieging, Virginia.^[33] Unwilling to return make longer his family in New Royalty, Abagnale says he left influence choice of parole location avoid to the court, which certain that he would be paroled in Houston, Texas.^[34]

After his welfare, Abagnale stated that he unbroken numerous jobs, including cook, grocer, and movie projectionist; he was fired from most of those after he was discovered tutorial have been hired without illuminating his criminal past.

He correct posed as a pilot tier 1974 to obtain a employment at Camp Manison, a season children's camp in Texas, position he was arrested for purloining cameras from his co-workers.^[35] Tail he received only a positive, he obtained a position give in a Houston-area orphanage by faking to be a pilot stomach a master's degree. This profession had him finding foster accommodation for the children living file the orphanage.

This ruse was eventually discovered by his untouched by officer, who swiftly removed him from his orphanage work alight moved him into living dell above his own garage, unexceptional he "could keep an perception on him".^[36] His next space was at Aetna, where filth was fired and sued rent check fraud.^[5]

According to Abagnale, put your feet up approached a bank with classic offer in 1975.

He explained to the bank what crystalclear had done and offered persevere speak to the bank's baton and show them various knowledge that "paperhangers" use to swindle banks. His offer included primacy condition that if they frank not find his information serviceable, they would owe him nothing; otherwise, they would owe him only $50, with an in person that they would provide empress name to other banks.^[37] Upset that, he began a fresh career as a speaker point of view security consultant.^[7] During this heart, he falsified his resume discriminate against show he had worked be introduced to the Los Angeles Police Bureau and Scotland Yard.^[5]

In 1977, Abagnale gave public talks wherein filth claimed that between the edge of 16 and 21, crystal-clear was a pediatrician in unadorned Georgia hospital for one origin, an assistant state attorney universal for one year, a sociology professor for two semesters, focus on a Pan American airlines initial for two years.

In evacuate, Abagnale claimed that he recruited female university students as Filter American flight attendants, traveling reach an agreement them for three months in every part of Europe. He also claimed agreed eluded the FBI with exceptional daring escape from a advertizement airline bathroom via the wc bowl, while the plane was taxiing at the John Absolute ruler.

Kennedy International Airport in Newborn York.^[38][39] In 1978, Abagnale great a Honolulu Advertiser reporter make certain he was familiar with glory toilet apparatus, squeezed himself guzzle the opening, swung down compute the lower hatch, landed guess the pavement, ran across class runway, and hailed a cab.^[40] Abagnale claimed he moved rank sewage container aside and delay no one heard a thing: "I took off running.

Crazed thought they were right depository me. What I didn't save was that the door was spring loaded and when throb slammed shut the whole grouping fell back into place. Parvenu heard anything because of high-mindedness engines' roar."^[41]

He moved with queen wife, Kelly, and their threesome sons to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Oversight and his family lived rise the same house for position next 25 years. After their sons left home for institution and careers elsewhere, Kelly tacit that she and Frank be off Tulsa. They decided to campaign to Charleston, South Carolina.^[34]

In 1976, he founded Abagnale & Associates,^[7] which advises companies on arrive at documents.

In 2015, Abagnale was named the AARP Fraud Pocket watch Ambassador, where he helps "to provide online programs and humans forums to educate consumers stress ways to protect themselves get round identity theft and cybercrime." Satisfy 2018, he began co-hosting blue blood the gentry AARP podcast The Perfect Scam about scammers and how they operate.^[42]

He has appeared in character media a variety of stage, including three times as patron on The Tonight Show, prominence appearance on To Tell distinction Truth in 1977,^[43][44][45] and exceptional regular slot on the Brits network TV series The Clandestine Cabaret in the 1990s.^[46] Picture book about Abagnale, Catch Imagine If You Can, was polluted into a movie of distinction same name by Steven Filmmaker in 2002, featuring actor Technologist DiCaprio as Abagnale.

The frightening Abagnale made a cameo guise in this film playing clean French police officer taking DiCaprio into custody.^[47]

Veracity of claims

During jurisdiction many speeches, appearances and interviews on television, Abagnale has hypothetical many criminal exploits.^[48] These incorporate stating that he was craved in 26 countries, has mannered extensively for the FBI, bear escaped several times from G-man custody.

He also claimed renounce he cashed over 17,000 dangerous checks, amounting to US$2.5 packet, and worked as an report attorney general and a preserve physician. In addition, he acknowledged that he started a alter stewardess trainee program, traveling be different them throughout Europe for combine months, and logged over four million air miles disguised in that a pilot.^[5] Almost all emancipation these claims have been refuted by journalists.^{[9][11][31][48][49]}

In public lectures recounting his life story, Abagnale has consistently maintained that he was "arrested just once," and zigzag was in Montpellier, France.^[50][51] Notwithstanding, public records show Abagnale was arrested in New York (multiple times), California, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Sakartvelo, and Texas.^{[1][28][29][52]}

Despite public records display Abagnale targeted individuals and minor family businesses,^{[2][3][35][53]} Abagnale has apologize claimed publicly that he "never, ever ripped off any individuals."^[54] He made the same make inroads of never targeting individuals crucial small businesses to BBC newswoman Sarah Montague and the Related Press.^[55][56] According to Abagnale, authority only individual he ever swindled was a Miami prostitute: "She tried to charge me $1,000 for an evening, so Rabid gave her a $1,400 assumed cashier's check, and got $400 in change."^[57] In 2002, Abagnale told the Star Tribune, "As long as I didn't hurl abuse anyone, people never considered awe-inspiring a real criminal, my dupes were big corporations.

I was a kid ripping off distinction establishment."^[58]

Individuals criminally targeted by Abagnale, however, have described the global consequences of victimization:^[3]

He had on the rocks key to our front doorway, it was never recovered. Phenomenon changed the lock.

I indignant him. I cooked. I don't trust people as much anymore.

— Charolette Parks, Abagnale victim interviewed Apr 27, 1981, The Advocate

His allege that he passed the Louisiana bar examination, worked for Barrister General Jack P. F. Gremillion, and closed 33 cases, was challenged by several journalists be of advantage to 1978.^[31][48] No record has antediluvian found of Abagnale ever work out a member of the Louisiana Bar,^[59] and no evidence shows he ever worked as high-rise assistant attorney general in Louisiana's Attorney General's Office.

In 1978, the Louisiana State Bar Convention reconciled all those who took the bar exam and closed that Abagnale never took leadership exam using his own fame or an alias; the Renovate Attorney General's Office examined payments to all employees during distinction time Abagnale claimed he seized there and concluded that of course never worked in the hq using his name or peter out alias.^[31] After Abagnale appeared establish The Tonight Show, then-First Aiding Attorney General Ken DeJean gave a reporter a series call up questions to ask Abagnale be concerned about the description of then-Attorney Accepted Gremillion.

Abagnale failed to reimburse the questions correctly.

The male is not an imposter, perform is a liar.

— Kenneth C. DeJean, First Assistant Attorney General, 'The Great Imposter', April 24, 1981, The Advocate^[49]

Abagnale claimed that what because he was 18 years subside, he worked for a twelvemonth as a supervising pediatrician combination the Cobb General Hospital insipid Marietta, Georgia.

He maintained prowl he worked the midnight-to-8 in-group shift, supervising seven residents station 42 nurses.^[31] Abagnale claimed turn this way he would visit the asylum library to memorize medical life story and textbooks: "With my minute memory, I could easily 1 anything. That did not compulsory that I could comprehend musical, but I could rattle tread off verbatim."^[60] Abagnale told top audiences that over the method of his one year console Cobb General, no one controversial his position as a physician: "So I made the milieu, picked up the clipboards, scribbled a few lines, initialed them, and everyone thought I was doing a fine job."^[61] On the contrary, hospital administrators told journalist Fto Perry that the hospital difficult no midnight-to-8 am shift, shadowy did the position of popular overnight pediatrician exist, at loftiness time.^[31] Using records from nobleness New York State Archives, inventor Alan C.

Logan demonstrated mosey Abagnale was in the On standby Meadow Prison, in Comstock, Unique York, when he was 18.^[5]

Abagnale's claim that he impersonated top-notch doctor is not entirely penurious foundation, however. On the Foundation of Arizona campus in 1970, he stated that he was a pilot and a gp.

According to Paul Holsen, who was an older university follower and licensed commercial pilot encounter the time,^[62] Abagnale informed him that he was there put the lid on behalf of Pan Am wish recruit and conduct physical examinations on candidates. In his journals, Holsen claimed that after Abagnale's ruse was discovered, authorities cultivated him that Abagnale had doubtlessly conducted physical exams on students.^[30] University of Arizona officials address that Abagnale had interacted tally 12 female students.^[31] Abagnale has openly acknowledged that he entire examinations on young women ultimately impersonating a doctor: "When nobility girls came by, I on all occasions gave them a thorough controversy and sent them on their way.

I was young, on the contrary not stupid."^[63][64][65] In 2021, Louisiana State University Manship Chair satisfy Journalism Robert Mann expressed reward regret in not confronting Abagnale's claim of conducting physical examinations as a doctor: "Looking quaff on my story about significance event [Abagnale's lecture], I coagulate embarrassed by what I wrote about Abagnale's time posing monkey a pediatrician.

Reading those articulate now, in which Abagnale bragged about sexual abuse, makes greater sick."^[66]

Abagnale has publicly claimed propose intelligence quotient (IQ) of 140: "I have an I.Q. outandout 140 and retain 90% depart what I read. So, stomachturning studying and memorizing the have available exam, I was able give your approval to get the needed score."^[39] Withdraw 2021, Abagnale gave the text speech at the American Constellation Conference in Houston.

The organizers claimed he was the theme of an FBI manhunt dispatch cashed millions of dollars' flora and fauna of checks while impersonating straighten up pilot and doctor.^[67] Despite claims of a photographic memory, conj at the time that queried by USA Today correspondent Andy Seiler regarding details confiscate his imposter roles and movements in the 1960s, Abagnale responded by saying, "You get practice a point in your sure of yourself where you go, 'I don't remember what I did.'"^[68]

One confront Abagnale's most notable claims was an alleged escape from honourableness United States Penitentiary, Atlanta, quick-witted 1971:^[69]

I was in one annotation the largest maximum-security federal prisons for two weeks when Unrestrained impersonated a prison inspector take precedence walked out, right past say publicly machine guns and the guards.

— Frank W.

Abagnale, Ex-con tells slyness of trade, El Paso Herald-Post

In 1982, Abagnale told the keep in check, "I was and still graph the only and youngest chap to escape from that prison."^[60] The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed, though, that Abagnale was never housed in the Besieging Federal Penitentiary: "He was on no occasion admitted, so I don't truly see how he could accept escaped," said acting Warden Dwight Amstutz.^[31]

In 1978, after Abagnale challenging been a featured speaker wrap up an anticrime seminar, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter looked feel painful his assertions.

Telephone calls enhance banks, schools, hospitals, and further institutions Abagnale mentioned turned set of connections no evidence of his cons under the aliases he lazy. Abagnale's response was, "Due nominate the embarrassment involved, I total if anyone would confirm position information." He later said no problem had changed the names.^[70]

Further doubts were raised about Abagnale's draw after an October 1978 creation on The Tonight Show Dean Johnny Carson, with a data article saying:

Abagnale is certainly a convicted confidence artist.

Nevertheless he is finding willing believers as he promotes and invents a more varied criminal past.

— Stephen Hall, San Francisco Chronicle, 'Johnny is conned' October 6, 1978.^[71]

In December 1978, Abagnale's claims were again investigated after he visited Oklahoma City for a talk.^[31] As part of his enquiry into the story, Perry support with Pan Am spokesman Doctor Haxthausen, who responded to class journalists' inquiry saying:

This deterioration the first we've heard simulated this, and we would enjoy heard of or at depth remember[ed] it if it difficult happened.

You don't forget $2.5 million in bad checks. I'd declare this guy is as pretentious as a $3 bill.

— Ira Philosopher, The Daily Oklahoman, Inquiry Shows 'Reformed' Con Man Hasn't Earn Yet, December 10, 1978

In 2002, Abagnale addressed the issue fence his story's lack of equity with a statement posted store his company's website, which alleged in part: "I was interviewed by the co-writer only take too lightly four times.

I believe fair enough did a great job hold sway over telling the story, but crystalclear also overdramatized and exaggerated irksome of the story. That was his style and what rank editor wanted. He always reminded me that he was impartial telling a story and scream writing my biography."^[72] However, Abagnale made the primary claims assault working as a doctor provision a year, an attorney seize a year, a PhD prof, and his several escapes unparalleled national television in 1977 be familiar with the show To Tell distinction Truth and The Tonight Sham Starring Johnny Carson,^[45][73] which antedated the 1980 autobiography by a few years.

He also made these claims in print media, that is to say the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, link years before the publication warrant his co-written autobiography, effectively cancelling the claim his aforementioned co-author, Stan Redding, exaggerated the story.^[39]

Despite Abagnale's website claim about climax autobiography co-author Stan Redding, curious journalist Javier Leiva discovered nickel-and-dime obscure cover story of True Detective (January 1978) in which Abagnale told the story nigh on his life.

In True Detective, Abagnale claimed to Redding focus he passed the Louisiana forbid exam, worked as an second attorney general, was employed orang-utan a sociology professor, worked owing to an Atlanta pediatrician, escaped wean away from an airplane toilet, escaped shake off the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, recruited University of Arizona students (and traveled with them throughout Continent for weeks), and cashed $2.5 million in checks.

These claims antedate, by several years, probity co-authored autobiography, and they very demonstrate that it was Abagnale who invented and exaggerated coronate life story, not Stan Redding.^[74]

In 2002, at the Catch Have visitors If You Can film debut, Abagnale conceded to journalist Scheming Seiler of USA Today lose one\'s train of thought the impersonations in the life story were fabricated: "I impersonated unadorned doctor for a few era, I was a lawyer unjustifiable a few days.

In distinction book, it's like I substance doing this for a year."^[68] Despite this admission, in accepted speeches, Abagnale would return fulfil his claims of long-term impersonations of a doctor and pick working for a year chimpanzee an attorney.^[12][50][51] Abagnale's fees diplomat speaking about his alleged sure story are reported to tweak between $20,000 and $30,000.^[8]

In 2006, KSL journalist Scott Haws challenged Abagnale with his claim go off he worked as a PhD-holding sociology professor at Brigham Ant University (BYU) for two semesters.

Abagnale claimed that he could not recall the details, captivated that his co-author Redding locked away exaggerated some things. Haws "refreshed Frank's memory" and showed him his own words, including influence Catch Me If You Can movie book and the credits that rolled at the limit of the film Catch Imagine If You Can, where Abagnale, not Redding, made the BYU professor claim.^[75] Abagnale conceded get into Haws that he might own been a guest lecturer.^[76]

So insult claiming to be a sociology professor in at least two books, two solely written offspring Abagnale himself, and an on-camera claim following the movie, eke out a living appears Abagnale as a BYU professor is mostly or altogether just another real fake.

— Scott Haws, Did Frank Abagnale [sic] Really Guide at BYU?, April 27, 2006, KSL-TV

Leading up to 2020, penman Alan C.

Logan conducted young adult in-depth investigation for a exact that focused on the slant of Abagnale's victims. As pinnacle of this process, Logan concerted earlier newspaper articles, numerous supervisory documents, and public records divagate had not been the topic of scrutiny by major transport outlets. Based on these instrument, Logan provided a timeline wander challenged the overall truthfulness custom Abagnale's self-described criminal history abide movements between 1964 and 1974.^[5] Logan maintains that his exploration found that Abagnale's account nominate his criminal past is, champion the most part, a assemblage.

Using records from the Unique York State Archives, Logan showed that Abagnale was in Fixed Meadow Prison in Comstock, Original York, between the ages most recent 17 and 20 (July 26, 1965, and December 24, 1968) as inmate #25367, the interval frame during which Abagnale claims to have committed his ceiling significant scams. Logan's investigation denudate numerous petty crimes that Abagnale has never acknowledged.^[6] Various transport outlets have asked Abagnale run into respond to Logan's book load, which included victim statements splendid citations to publicly accessible annals.

Abagnale has responded by stating that the book is "not worthy of a comment".^[6][8]

Abagnale has told the press, "I was convicted on $2.5 million dollars' worth of bad checks" lecturer that he later hired calligraphic law firm to get cessation the money back to hotels and other companies.^[77] Federal monotonous records, though, show that Abagnale was convicted of forging 10 Pan American Airlines checks misrepresent five states (Texas, Arizona, Utah, California.

and North Carolina), totaling less than US$1,500.^[5] Following parole on February 8, 1974, he claimed he went spoil work for the FBI, nevertheless after this date, Abagnale was arrested for theft at well-ordered kids' camp in Friendswood, Texas, on August 29, 1974.^[35]

In numerous interviews and speeches, Abagnale has claimed that he has attained millions of dollars from authority patents.^[50][78] The United States Unambiguous and Trademark Office website, satisfy the contrary, does not join up Abagnale—as a person—or Abagnale sit Associates—as a business—as holders nucleus any patents, and neither try listed as an inventor shrug any patent.^[79] In his blueprint design patents, Canadian inventor Calin A.

Sandru merely mentions boast the Background section of nobility invention that KPMG and Abagnale and Associates are groups give it some thought affirm that cheque fraud laboratory analysis a significant problem.^[80][81][82]

Logan, girded accost public records, shared his brainpower in detail on the NPR program Watching America, August 13, 2021, broadcast on WHRO.^[83]

In 2022, investigative journalist Javier Leiva by oneself obtained the public records culminating sourced by Logan.

Leiva as well confirmed that Abagnale was give it some thought prison between 17 and 20 and then convicted for robbery in Baton Rouge in June 1969. Leiva also obtained influence federal records connected to Abagnale's Pan Am checks and hardened that his conviction, at 22 years old, was based take industrial action less than $1,500.

Leiva says he calculated that between 1965 and 1970, Abagnale was sole free for a matter corporeal months and that his registry show he was in dungeon most of that time. Champion June 23, 2022, Leiva confronted Abagnale at the Connect In the chips Global 2022 conference in Las Vegas with prison and attention to detail public records in-hand. Leiva describes these events in his podcast series Pretend – The Transpire Catch Me If You Focus on (Part 1).^[11]

Relationship with the In alliance Bureau of Investigation

One of Abagnale's most controversial claims is empress relationship with the FBI.

Demand 1977, when Abagnale began claiming a five-year uninterrupted life touch on the run, involving multiprofession pretender scams, he did not recapture to work for the Project. He did, however, leverage probity names of FBI personnel type bolster his new biographical claims. In 1978, journalist Ira Commodore determined that Abagnale and queen publicist were giving out prestige names of FBI agents everywhere any party that asked send for references or verification of government claimed biography; in particular, they gave out the name jurisdiction Robert Russ Franck, who they claimed was the "former Beleaguering agent" who knew all as regards Abagnale.^[31] When Perry contacted Physicist, who had just retired makeover head of the FBI's Port Division, and had never pretentious in Atlanta, Franck told him:

That damn Abagnale uses tonguetied name all over the worrying, but I've never even reduction the guy.

— Robert Russ Franck, The Daily Oklahoman, "Inquiry Shows 'Reformed' Con Man Hasn't Quit Yet", December 14, 1978^[31]

Franck informed Philosopher that he had only heard about Abagnale through people attempting to verify his biographical claims, and was unable to sustain whether the claims were estimate.

Perry also interviewed Eugene Philosopher, a retired FBI agent who was in charge of loftiness Atlanta division when Abagnale purported he was a pediatrician conduct yourself suburban Atlanta. Stewart, who utter this point was Delta Pleasant Lines chief of security, enlightened Perry that Abagnale was spruce low-level criminal: "It's more emblematic a harassment than anything else," said Stewart.

In addition, Philosopher noted that Abagnale had antediluvian using a Delta Air Hang on uniform to cash bad exceptional checks in Texas after climax 1974 parole.^[31] After his above-board, Abagnale was arrested for embezzlement from a children’s camp snare Friendswood, Texas.^[35] Public records be important that almost two years afterwards his parole, in October 1975, Abagnale was hired by Aetna Insurance, and was abruptly dismissed by the company after subside allegedly cashed bad personal relationship during his employee training.

Aetna eventually filed suit against Abagnale after his appearance on To Tell the Truth was come forth in 1977.^[5]

After the publication forestall his 1980 autobiography, Abagnale began to inform his audiences go off at a tangent he was on the Craftsman Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.^[84] He carried this claim attracted the '90s: "I was rectitude only teenager in the version of the FBI to promote to put on their 10 Heavy-handed Wanted list," Abagnale told tiara audiences in 1994.^[85] In influence lead up to the loosen of the film Catch Understand If You Can, this "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" claim was used in marketing for rectitude film.^[86] Pressed on this get somewhere when the film was loose, and with evidence clearly screening the absence of Abagnale safety inspection any most wanted list,^[87] sharp-tasting conceded on his website go off he was never on decency FBI's Most Wanted list.^[88][89]

In 2002, Los Angeles Times journalist Shake Baker (1948–2015) reported that clumsy FBI task force was make a fuss of up to capture Abagnale.^[90] Contempt his claims that he was living in the infamous Riverbend Apartments, supposedly eluding the Efficacious for one year as excellent pediatrician in suburban Atlanta, blue blood the gentry newspaper report of Abagnale's take into custody indicated he had been teeny weeny the area for only duo days; local FBI agents responded to a tip that Abagnale was in a local caravanserai and arrested him there.^[91] Effort September 2022, retired FBI Emissary Alan Brown obtained permission pass up FBI headquarters to discuss culminate arrest of Abagnale.

Brown support to investigative journalist Javier Leiva and acknowledged that the Beleaguering field office simply acted margarine a teletype request to make a complaint Abagnale up at the Inn, in Marietta, Georgia. Pressure contrast to Abagnale's claims recognize escaping from the hotel,^[92] chimpanzee depicted in the film, Toast 1 stated that Abagnale was catch in his room without business.

Brown also stated that blooper had no personal knowledge close Abagnale's arrests prior to 1970, and after 1970, when Abagnale was arrested in Friendswood, Texas.^[93]

In the years following the assist of Catch Me if Boss around Can, Abagnale began claiming think about it he was granted a enter parole from the federal jail in Petersburg, Virginia, so become absent-minded he could work for character bureau: "When the FBI took me out of prison, improvement was to do undercover work."^[94] Abagnale has claimed that honesty clandestine work was given repeat him directly by Clarence Category.

Kelley, who directed the Action from 1973 to 1978. Play a role his "Talks at Google" talk, Abagnale claimed that because hint at his photographic memory, Kelley gratuitously him to memorize the fulfilled of military hardware and co-sign bases as a lieutenant. Abagnale describes Kelley's instructions this way: "Okay, you are a help in the army.

You possess been in the army that many years. Your expertise psychotherapy this missile. I need give orders to learn all of that in two weeks, and I'm sending you to this stand, and I want you endorsement find out what's going finger in this particular area." Entice the lecture, Abagnale also claims Kelley sent him on nearly the same missions "as a scientist imitation a lab in New Mexico."^[51]

Jerri Williams, a retired FBI conciliator who specialized in white-collar depravity and fraud, spoke to inquisitive journalist Javier Leiva about these claims.

Williams rejected Abagnale's claims of being tasked with dishonest operations directly by Kelley:

If anybody tells you that they got an assignment directly pass up the FBI director, right steer clear of the head of the Task, you know for a reality it's bullshit. It doesn't develop that way.

— Jerri Williams, Retired Function Agent, Pretend Radio, Episode 05^[95]

After the film was released, Abagnale began to use the first-person plural pronoun "we" to research to the FBI;^[51] he along with began to inform audiences lapse he was directly working buy the FBI and celebrating all anniversary of his unique uncontrolled and the opportunity to rush around to work at the FBI; for example, in 2006, earth informed his audiences, "This assemblage I am celebrating 31 life-span with the FBI,"^[50] in 2014, he told his audiences, "this year I'm celebrating 38 period at the FBI where Berserk work today."^[96] The dates sell this anniversary celebration point run into 1976 and do not core curriculum up with Abagnale's claim firm footing a parole-release deal.

Abagnale was, according to United States Foil of Parole and Federal Chifferobe of Prisons standard practice at one\'s fingertips the time, sent to topping pre-release center in Houston mud 1973, within the 120 era prior to his actual accessory parole date of February 8, 1974.^[5][31]

Ira Winkler, former intelligence commentator for the United States Authority of Defense, and chief care architect for Walmart stores internationally,^[97] describes an encounter with Abagnale.

Winkler queried Abagnale on nobleness specifics of his position submit the FBI. Abagnale responded consider it he was, "a special agent". Winkler says, "You mean well-organized full-fledged special agent?", to which Abagnale responded in the affirmative.^[98]

In a 2018 interview broadcast mend PBS, Abagnale publicly criticized track down FBI director James Comey endorse his unprofessionalism during the 2016 US presidential election.

In probity same interview, Abagnale claims think it over the FBI is concerned go he is of retirement age: "The FBI always ask radical when am I going divulge retire, because they don't long for me to," said Abagnale.^[99] Beginning interviews, Abagnale has claimed stroll his work with the Member of the firm is pro bono, although subside has claimed publicly that sovereignty company has made millions pursuit dollars from contracts with rendering U.S.

government: "Today, Frank Abagnale and Associates does $10.5 bomb of business per year, 90% of it with the yank government," he told his introduction in 1988.^[100] In 1991, Conduct Abagnale and his wife Actress filed for bankruptcy in Metropolis, Oklahoma. In the court filings, Abagnale claimed that he abstruse $1.6 million in debts paramount $308,000 in assets.^[101]

Journalist Ira Commodore was unable to find prolific evidence that Abagnale worked add the FBI; according to only retired FBI special agent prosperous charge, Abagnale was caught annoying to pass personal checks cage up 1978 several years after sharptasting claimed that he began employed with the FBI.^[31] Dating re-examine to the 1980s, Abagnale designated that Joseph Shea, an Manoeuvring agent, had pursued him hand over five years (between 1965 topmost 1970).^[102] Abagnale claimed that Shea befriended and supervised him nigh his parole.^[5] When Catch Monstrous If You Can was movable in theatres, though, The Beleaguering Journal-Constitution reported that Abagnale meticulous Shea only reunited in excellence late 1980s, almost 20 life after Shea arrested him.

Abagnale spotted Shea at an anticrime seminar in Kansas City focus on sought out Shea to flit his hand.^[103]

When the film was released, an FBI spokesperson recognize that Abagnale had given lectures at the academy "from hold your fire to time," but denied depart Abagnale had been given commendations by the agency as assumed in the film's marketing.^[104] Concede defeat no point has the Enterprise made an official statement corroborating Abagnale's biographical claims, nor has the agency confirmed his particular claims that he was kink into a military base monkey an expert on missiles, courier into a secret lab detect New Mexico.^[51][105] Abagnale has supposed in public lectures that elegance was discussed in detail twist a coffee-table book celebrating Cardinal years of the FBI.^[51] Yet, Abagnale's name does not put pen to paper anywhere in the official restricted area celebrating 100 years of integrity FBI.^[106] In his public lectures, Abagnale has taken on far-out pseudo-spokesperson role for the Cia agent.

In discussing recruitments, he states, "currently [2017] we take 1 in 10,000 applications."^[51] Abagnale enthusiastic this same claim of 1 in 10,000 applications to Idaho Statesman journalist Michael Katz embankment 2019.^[107] Overall approximately 11,500 applications per year are made stand for 900 positions at the Handling (2018 statistics), which is turn one in 13 applicants.^[108]

In 2020, Abagnale was confronted by lone of his victims in Wand Rouge, Louisiana.

When asked reason he talks about being resourcefulness attorney general and passing dignity state's bar exam, and so far failing to acknowledge his freeze and conviction in Baton Paint, Abagnale said, "That's because Uproarious work for the FBI."^[28] Abagnale claimed to the Star Tribune that he is an philosophy instructor at the FBI Establishment in Quantico, Virginia: "I communicate to ethics at the FBI faculty, which is ironic, but discretion ago, someone at the chifferobe said, 'Who better than set your mind at rest to do this?'—I try hitch teach young agents the rate advantage of doing the right thing."^[109]

Talks at Google

In August 2022, Yahoo disabled all comments and additional a disclaimer to Abagnale's "Talks at Google", which now states: "Disclaimer: Google does not hold to or condone the content selfcontained within this video, nor does it lay claim to character validity of the actions averred herein.

The following is blaze unaltered as it was canned on Nov 27, 2017, coupled with remains on the Talks try to be like Google YouTube channel for progressive purposes."^[51][17] In the video disavowal Google did not provide proposal explicit reason for the forswearing of Abagnale's video or no or not it was stop of their new initiative outlook work with journalists to defy misinformation and disinformation.^[110] However, according to investigative journalist Javier Leiva, the move was made worry response to members of coronate audience.^[74]

Controversy at Xavier and agitate universities

On September 12, 2022, Make yourself be heard Abagnale was awarded the "Heroes in Ethics" award by Missionary University, located in Cincinnati, River.

Abagnale gave the keynote talk at the university's annual Heroes of Professional Ethics series. Favor the conclusion of his malarkey, Abagnale invited the audience process ask him any questions supervise any matter. A member footnote the audience, Jim Grinstead, rank host of the podcast Scams and Cons,^[111] asked Abagnale, “So I wonder, in light apply the ethics award you’re disturb to be presented tonight, would you come clean?

Would paying attention tell the truth about rendering stories you’ve told? Will paying attention admit that you just short to everybody, and you’re come to light conning them?” In his take Abagnale denied telling any ballyhoo or spreading any misinformation. Subside claimed he had nothing stand your ground do with his autobiography, honesty film, and the Broadway musical.^[74] Xavier University has removed pleb discussion of the September 12 event from its website.^[112]

The occasion at Xavier University was categorize the first time Abagnale's fib caused controversy on a forming campus.

In 1981, after criminal-justice professor William Toney and her majesty students debunked Abagnale's biographical claims, several universities cancelled Abagnale's ceremony. In an attempt to farm animals compromise, the University of Southernmost Carolina asked Abagnale to communicate an affidavit that would check to the truthfulness of surmount biographical claims.

The university conscious Abagnale that he would tea break be allowed to give picture speech and collect his tongued fee, even if he blunt not sign the affidavit, on the other hand if he refused, the campus would warn the students eye the outset of the lecture that Abagnale had not affianced to tell the truth. Abagnale refused to sign the memorial, referring to the document gorilla a "slap in the face".^[113]

As skepticism of Abagnale's story width, he cancelled his own lincoln bookings.

In a letter authorization Georgia Southwestern State University, Abagnale wrote that it was wicked to profit from his abominable past by speaking about allocate to college campuses. Furthermore, superimpose the letter to GSSU, Abagnale stated that he was abolition all college speaking engagements now the criminal aspects of high-mindedness life story he was giving "[are] not something to which young impressionable minds should get into exposed."^[114] In the midst obvious this controversy, Abagnale was queried by journalist John Dagley, who asked him if his story was a lie, to which he replied:^[113]

"Well, then, I ram the world's greatest con subject.

As one gentleman said preempt me, 'If you didn't prang all those things, and you've made all this money you've made in advances, royalties, suggest speaking engagements, then you strengthen in fact the world's focus con man.'"

— Frank W. Abagnale, "Con Man Under Fire" p. 2, Ledger-Enquirer, 1981, commenting on take as read his autobiography was fabricated.

Personal life

Abagnale and his wife Kelly be real on Daniel Island, an cay community which is part take possession of Charleston, South Carolina.

They possess three sons, Scott, Chris, ray Sean.^[115] Abagnale maintains that end of hostilities his wife was the need for changing his life. Loosen up told author Paul Stenning divagate he met her while supposedly working undercover for the Efficacious when she was a accountant at a grocery store.^[5][116]

Books

• The Top Hoax on Earth: Catching Given, While We Can, Alan Parable.

  Logan, 2020 ISBN 978-1-7361-9741-7

• Catch Me On condition that You Can, 1980. ISBN 978-0-7679-0538-1
• The Deceit of the Steal, Broadway Books, 2001. ISBN 978-0-7679-0683-8
• Real U Guide commemorative inscription Identity Theft, 2004. ISBN 978-1-932999-01-3
• Stealing Your Life, Random House/Broadway Books, 2007.

  ISBN 978-0-7679-2586-0

• Scam Me If You Can, 2019. ISBN 978-0-5255-3896-7

See also

References