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Birth
the Bronx, New York City -
16th Birthday
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Enlists in the Navy
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Discharged from the Navy
Frank Abagnale was only in the Navy 3 months before being discharged. It seems there isn't a documented reason for his discharge. -
Arrested for petty larceny
2 weeks after his discharge from the Navy, Abagnale was arrested in Mount Vernon, NY, for low-level larceny via check. -
Arrested for Vagrancy
In March 1965, Abagnale portrayed himself as a Scarsdale, New York, police officer to gain access to the apartment of a resident in Mount Vernon, New York, under the pretense of investigating her teenage daughter. Sensing something amiss, the resident alerted the Mount Vernon police, leading to Abagnale's apprehension. He was found in possession of a toy gun and a makeshift police badge. Abagnale was arrested and charged with vagrancy following his identification by the victim in a lineup. -
Court Ordered Psychiatric Institute Observation
Abagnale was ordered by the court to be committed to Grasslands psychiatric institute, in Westchester County -
Arrested in Eureka California for Car Theft by FBI
Stole a Ford Mustang from a friend of his father and financed his cross country trip with stolen blank checks -
Claims to graduate from pilot school via newspaper announcement
Abagnale reports to the Daily Argus he's graduated as a pilot from the American Airlines schools as the top New York student. He obtained a uniform at a Manhattan uniform company, purchased with the money he obtained from the forgery of checks. -
Arrested in Tuckahoe, NY for theft of checks
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Period: to
In Prison
After serving only two years of his sentence, he was released into the custody of his mother, but he broke the terms of his parole with a stolen-car conviction in Boston, Massachusetts, and was returned to Great Meadow for one year. -
Arrested on vagrancy charges in Louisiana
Impersonating a TWA pilot; claimed he had a master's degree in social work from Ithaca College, and sought work with vulnerable youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities; later charged with theft and forgery as well -
Convicted, Flees for Europe
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Arrested for automobile theft and defrauding two families in Montpellier, France
He was sentenced to four months for theft in France, though he served only three months in Perpignan's prison -
Deported back to the US
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Begins to impersonate a PanAm pilot, recruiting stewardesses on college campuses
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FBI alerted when Abagnale cashes a personal check made to look like a PanAm check
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Arrested in Cobb County, GA for fake checks
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Escaped the Cobb County Jail
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Found and arrested in New York City
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Period: to
In Prison
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Paroled in Friendswood, Texas
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Pretends to be a pilot to obtain 2 separate jobs
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Fired from his position at Aetna for check fraud
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Begins showing banks how to spot various defrauding tricks
Lies about his background to obtain the position, saying he has worked with the LAPD and Scotland Yard -
27th Birthday
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Founded Abagnale & Associates, advising companies on secure documents
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Travels the country giving public talks with varying degrees of accuracy
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Published autobiography "Catch Me If You Can"
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Published "The Art of the Steal"
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Catch Me If You Can movie released
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, directed by Steven Spielberg -
Published "Real U Guide to Identity Theft"
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Published "Stealing Your Life"
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Named the AARP Fraud Watch Ambassador
Abagnale helps "to provide online programs and community forums to educate consumers about ways to protect themselves from identity theft and cybercrime." -
Published "Scam Me If You Can"
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Awarded "Hero in Ethics" award by Xavier University