Frank Abagnale

Date of Birth: April 27, 1948

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Biography

Frank William Abagnale Jr. is an American security consultant known for his history as a former con artist, check forger, and impostor between the ages of 16 and 21. Born on April 27, 1948, in Bronxville, New York, Abagnale became one of the most notorious impostors, claiming to have assumed no fewer than eight identities, including an airline pilot, a physician, a US Bureau of Prisons agent, and a lawyer. His life and exploits were depicted in the hit 2002 film “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. At the age of 16, following his parents’ divorce, Abagnale ran away from home and began his life of crime. Over the next five years, he cashed $2.5 million worth of bad checks in 26 countries. In 1969, at the age of 21, he was arrested in France. After serving time in various international prisons, he was finally extradited to the United States, where he served less than five years of his 12-year sentence before being released on the condition that he would help federal law enforcement agencies fight fraud and scam artists. Since his release, Abagnale has worked as a consultant and lecturer for the FBI and has run his own consulting firm, Abagnale & Associates, which advises businesses on fraud prevention. He has written several books, including his autobiography “Catch Me If You Can” and “The Art of the Steal.”

5 Interesting Facts about Frank Abagnale

1. Frank Abagnale successfully passed the Louisiana State Bar exam without attending law school.

2. He impersonated a Pan Am pilot for two years, flying over 1,000,000 miles on over 250 flights to 26 countries.

3. Abagnale escaped from the Federal Detention Center in Atlanta, Georgia, by posing as an undercover prison inspector.

4. He once masqueraded as the chief resident pediatrician at a Georgia hospital for eleven months.

5. His life story was turned into the critically acclaimed film “Catch Me If You Can,” directed by Steven Spielberg.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Frank Abagnale

1. “What I did in my youth is hundreds of times easier today. Technology breeds crime.”

2. “If my forgeries looked as bad as the CBS documents, it would have been ‘Catch Me In Two Days’.”

3. “There is something very comforting in knowing that no matter what happens, nothing can take away the experiences you’ve had.”

4. “Criminals are always evolving, and the only way to catch them is to evolve faster.”

5. “You can’t con an honest man. He has no price.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Frank Abagnale’s highest net worth achieved is estimated to be around $10 million.

Children

Frank Abagnale has three sons. His eldest son, Scott, is an FBI agent, while his other two sons, Chris and Sean, have pursued careers outside of law enforcement.