Spielberg Film Con Artist Redeemed
Frank Abagnale's Story in the 2002 Movie "Catch Me If You Can"
If much of art and art making is about improvisation and having confidence in your artistic vision, Frank Abagnale is a born artist.
Leonardo DiCaprio stars in Catch Me If You Can (2002), a compelling semi-biographical movie about one of the greatest contemporary con men of all time, Frank Abagnale. Steven Spielberg directs this film that begins with a young Frank Abagnale pretending to be the substitute teacher for his own high school class. Abagnale is so convincing and confident in his pretend role that he gets away with it for days. This is just the beginning of a long career of deception and fraud.
This self-taught check forger, (or paperhanger, as they are called colloquially), created bad checks that he was able to cash in the amount of $2.5 million (US). While the idea of getting away with all this free money sounds fun, rest assured that Mr. Abagnale did indeed do time for his crimes. Frank Abagnale served six months in a French prison, several months in a Swedish prison and served almost six years in a United States Federal Prison.
Part of what is so fascinating about Frank Abagnale's story is that he has had little formal education. According to a representative of the FBI, Frank Abagnale received his GED while in a United States Federal Prison in Virginia and completed about two years of college course work through the University of Virginia's courses also while in the Federal Prison.
Perhaps the best part, though, of Ralph Abagnale's story is his redemption. Mr. Abagnale is now a successful businessman who lectures worldwide on fraud prevention and security. Abagnale admits to having no pride in his previous life of crime and is now a contributing member of society who is also married with three sons. With identity theft such a hot topic these days it seems Frank Abagnale has found a valuable niche.
Uni-ball pens has also recently hired Frank Abagnale as their spokesperson to encourage the use of their pens equipped with special ink that make it more difficult to alter an official document or bank check.
The Abagnale story of going from criminal to credible businessman is satisfying and really kind of amazing. Check out Catch Me If You Can. It also stars the ever fascinating Christopher Walken as the father of Frank Abagnale, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Other recommended movies about con men and scams: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Shade, The Sting, Matchstick Men, The Usual Suspects
Source:
- E-mail from Sarah Hammermill, Information Officer of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
