From Fraudery to FBI

1003 Words3 Pages

Frank Abagnale once said,“What I did in my youth is hundreds of times easier today. Technology breeds crime.” Abagnale was a mastermind who left his mother’s home at the age of 16 and travelled to Manhattan all by himself. He failed to acquire a high school diploma, but he skillfully managed to portray himself as a doctor, pilot, attorney, and professor anyhow in order to swindle banks across the country, including Europe. At the age of 21, he managed to cash $2.5 million dollars in rubber checks but was caught soon after by the FBI that had been rigorously chasing him down. Even though his parent’s divorce and foolish mistakes compelled him to be involved in infamous frauds, Abagnale used his second chance wisely and became a world renowned authority on financial crimes.
Abagnale’s talent in fraudery and embezzlement earned him recognition amongst the FBI, financial institutions, and other corporations. According to a website, “Abagnale only had two hundred dollars and no high school diploma when he traveled to New York” ( "Frank Abagnale"). Considering his helpless situation, he had no choice but to fake his age and educational background. In order to make himself look ten years older, he tampered with his driver’s license. This allowed him to become more open to job opportunities. Unfortunately, his measly income was not satisfying him. He wished to live a higher standard of living, and the best way to achieve this goal was to pose as a person from a respected profession. Jobs such as an attorney, pilot, and doctor assisted in creating a more firm and valuable identity that impressed bank tellers easily. In addition, he skillfully covered up his lack of education and experience in each field. There were several times where he ...

... middle of paper ...

...y. Now he is sharing his knowledge with other agencies and institutions in order to repent for his mistakes. Abagnale’s actions made others perceive him as an unrighteous man, but after time he regained his respect by cooperating with the people who set him free. There is always an opportunity for repenting mistakes and earning respect from others.

Works Cited

"Abagnale & Associates." Abagnale & Associates. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Burchett, Michael H. "Frank W. Abagnale, Jr." Great Lives from History: Notorious Lives. Ed. L. Bankston III Carl. 3 vols. Salem Press, 2007. Salem History Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
"Frank Abagnale Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
"Outrunning the Law." Frank Abagnale, the Great Con Artist and Imposter — — Crime Library.
19 Mar. 2014.Web.
"Bona Fide | Charleston Magazine."Charleston Magazine. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.

More about From Fraudery to FBI

Open Document