Catch Me If You Can

1. Early Life and the First Taste of Deception

Dad possessed the one trait necessary in the perfect pigeon, blind trust, and I plucked him for $3,400.

Broken home impact. Frank Abagnale's parents separated when he was twelve, deeply affecting him, especially his relationship with his father. His father, a successful businessman turned postal clerk after financial ruin, unknowingly became Frank's first victim at age fifteen. Frank used his father's Mobil credit card, initially for gas, but quickly escalated to charging tires and accessories which he sold for cash.

Escalating deception. This initial con, driven by a desire for money to impress girls, netted him $3,400. When the massive bill arrived, his father was confused but forgiving, while his mother, who had legal custody, sent him to a private school for problem boys. This experience, though not harsh, felt like undeserved punishment and further fueled his detachment.

Leaving home. At sixteen, feeling the weight of his father's decline and the unresolved family situation, Frank left home for New York City with only $200. He quickly realized minimum wage jobs wouldn't support his desired lifestyle, leading him to alter his driver's license age and begin writing bad checks on his small account. This marked his transition from petty mischief to professional crime.

2. Becoming the Skywayman: The Pilot Persona

I wasn’t a Pan Am pilot or any other kind of pilot. I was an impostor, one of the most wanted criminals on four continents, and at the moment I was doing my thing, putting a super hype on some nice people.

Inspired by glamour. Seeing airline pilots and stewardesses emerge from a hotel sparked Frank's most audacious idea: impersonating a pilot. He believed the uniform commanded respect, trust, and provided anonymity, making it ideal for cashing checks. He saw the Pan Am building as a "mountain to be climbed."

Acquiring the facade. Through audacious phone calls and visits, Frank obtained a Pan Am uniform by claiming his was stolen, learning about employee accounts and uniform allowances in the process. He then used graphic arts skills to create a fake Pan Am ID card and, later, a counterfeit FAA pilot's license using a plaque-making service and a copy machine.

Learning the ropes. Despite not knowing how to fly, Frank immersed himself in airline culture. He studied books, called airlines posing as a student or reporter, and spent time at airports listening to crew conversations. He learned jargon, procedures (like deadheading), and even dated stewardesses to gather information, quickly becoming fluent in "airlinese."

3. Mastering Impersonation: Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher

I hadn’t even finished high school and had yet to step on a college campus, but I was a certified lawyer!

Seeking safe havens. After close calls as a pilot, Frank sought less exposed identities. He stumbled into the role of a pediatrician in Atlanta by listing it as his occupation on an apartment application, backed by a forged Harvard Medical transcript. He maintained this facade for nearly a year, relying on interns to handle actual medical issues while he played the charming, eccentric supervisor.

Accidental attorney. A chance encounter led him to impersonate a Harvard Law graduate. He forged a transcript, studied law books, and passed the state bar exam on his third attempt. He worked as an assistant state attorney for nine months, mostly as an errand boy, until a real Harvard lawyer's scrutiny forced him to flee.

Summer professor. Needing a temporary identity, he saw an ad for a sociology instructor at a Utah university. He forged Columbia University transcripts and letters of recommendation, presenting himself as a furloughed TWA pilot with a Ph.D. He taught for a summer, enjoying the role and his students, before moving on to avoid exposure.

4. The Art of Forgery and Bank Swindles

Frank Abagnale could write a check on toilet paper, drawn on the Confederate States Treasury, sign it ‘U.R. Hooked’ and cash it at any bank in town, using a Hong Kong driver’s license for identification.

Elevating the craft. Frank moved beyond simple personal checks to master the art of forgery, focusing on payroll and cashier's checks. He learned the importance of details like perforated edges, magnetic ink numbers (routing codes), and check numbering sequences.

Exploiting system flaws. He discovered that banks often routed checks based on the magnetic ink numbers, not the printed location, creating a "float" time of several days or weeks before a check bounced. He used this to his advantage, routing checks across the country to maximize his escape time.

Audacious methods. Frank employed various bold tactics:

• Using a rented Rolls-Royce and claiming to be a wealthy businessman to open accounts with large counterfeit checks.
• Printing his own high-quality Pan Am checks using equipment bought in Las Vegas.
• Altering bank deposit slips to credit large sums to his account before withdrawing the money.
• Posing as an FBI agent to retrieve a check with his real name on the back.
• Posing as a bank security guard to collect night deposits.

5. European Adventures and Expanding the Game

I had embarked on this illicit odyssey well provisioned with sinful supplies: counterfeit cashier’s checks (products of my own handiwork), Pan Am expense checks and regular paychecks (Papa Lavalier’s unwitting artwork) and Pan Am reimbursement authorization forms (pilfered from Pan Am’s own stores department), the last more for bluff than effect.

Seeking international anonymity. Feeling the pressure in the US, Frank fled to Mexico and then Europe, using his pilot persona to travel freely via deadheading. He continued his check swindles, adapting his methods to European banking systems.

Leveraging relationships. In Paris, he met Monique, an Air France stewardess, and through her, her father, a printer. He convinced Papa Lavalier, who spoke no English, to print high-quality Pan Am checks, claiming it was legitimate business. These checks were so convincing they were sometimes cleared by Pan Am's own offices when banks called to verify.

The "Crew" Scam. His most elaborate European scheme involved recruiting eight college girls under the guise of a Pan Am promotional tour. He provided them with uniforms, fake IDs, and paid their expenses, using their presence to add legitimacy when cashing large counterfeit checks at hotels catering to airline crews across Europe. The girls were completely unaware they were part of a criminal operation.

6. The Chase Intensifies and the Net Closes

I learned later that my decision to leave Atlanta was an astute one. About the same time, in Washington, D.C., FBI Inspector Sean O’Riley was ordered to drop all his other cases and concentrate solely on nabbing me.

O'Riley's relentless pursuit. Unbeknownst to Frank for much of his career, FBI Inspector Sean O'Riley became his primary pursuer. O'Riley, a tenacious and dedicated agent, pieced together Frank's movements and identities, often just missing him. Frank's habit of abandoning rented cars and his brief, foolish impersonation of an FBI agent in Eureka provided O'Riley with crucial leads.

Close calls and near misses. Frank had numerous close calls, including being questioned by the FBI in Miami (and talking his way out of it) and being arrested for vagrancy in Boston. In Boston, he was identified but managed to bond himself out using a bad check, further frustrating O'Riley. His escape from the Boston jail led to the infamous night deposit box scam.

Betrayal and capture. After years on the run, Frank settled in Montpellier, France, seeking a quiet retirement. However, an Air France stewardess who had dated him recognized him shopping and reported him to the police. This led to his dramatic arrest by a large contingent of French authorities, finally ending his five-year run.

7. Brutal Imprisonment and a Glimmer of Hope

I was in total darkness. A damp, chilling, breath-stifling, frightening darkness.

Perpignan's hellhole. Frank was sentenced to one year in Perpignan prison, a 17th-century fortress. His cell was a small, dark, sunken stone hole with only a bucket, lacking light, bedding, or sanitation. He was subjected to:

• Total darkness and isolation
• Minimal food (bread and water/thin soup) at irregular intervals
• Lack of hygiene, forced to live in his own waste
• Physical and psychological torment by guards
• Loss of sense of time and reality

Survival through fantasy. To maintain his sanity in the brutal conditions, Frank relied on his vivid imagination, creating elaborate fantasies of flying planes, performing surgery, or directing movies. These mental escapes provided temporary relief from the grim reality of his confinement.

American consulate intervention. After six months, an American consular official, Peter Ramsey, visited him. Ramsey explained that while he couldn't intervene due to Frank being treated the same as French prisoners, his sentence had been reduced, and he would soon be transferred to another country seeking extradition. This news, though not freedom, offered a glimmer of hope for escape from Perpignan's horrors.

8. Swedish Justice and the Path to Redemption

You are Frank Abagnale, are you not?

Humane treatment. After his release from Perpignan, Frank was extradited to Sweden, where he faced charges. To his astonishment, he was met by two polite, unarmed female inspectors who treated him with dignity. Swedish law required an interpreter and appointed counsel, even for indigent prisoners.

Hospitalization and recovery. Upon arrival, a doctor diagnosed Frank with severe malnutrition and pneumonia. He spent a month in a clean, private hospital room, receiving excellent care and regular visits from the Swedish police officers. This marked a stark contrast to his French imprisonment.

Confession and sentence. Back in custody, Frank was housed in a comfortable apartment-like cell. He confessed to his crimes in Sweden after learning the maximum sentence was only one year, a fraction of what he feared. He was found guilty but received a lenient sentence, reflecting the Swedish focus on rehabilitation over harsh punishment, setting the stage for his eventual return to the US and a different kind of life.

Last updated: May 5, 2025