A fraudster who by all accounts continued fraud by making up a life story filled with largely fictional details (including that he worked with the FBI)? Some people are like George Santos and exaggerate constantly in addition to constructing wholesale false stories about themselves.
It’s fascinating how easy it is to fall prey to a fraudster when they claim they’ve gone legit. You’re probably better off believing they’re still a fraudster.
That Wikipedia section makes it sound like his whole life story is just an elaborate work of fiction. I don't think that counts as fraud. It's more like santa claus and the deception fits in with his story. Is he doing any actual damage other than annoying the FBI?
Fraud /frôd/ noun. wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
I would say that lying about your life story to write a successful book & then get a movie made about that book by the world’s most preeminent directory would count as a wrongful deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. But that’s just me.
His whole Wikipedia page is a list of constant fraud and larceny. Some persecuted, probably most not. As for how much damage he’s causing these days I don’t know, but he clearly has in the past.
Some examples:
> in March 1965, Abagnale identified himself as a Scarsdale, New York, police officer and entered the apartment of a Mount Vernon, New York, resident claiming that he was investigating her teenaged daughter.
> After being released into the custody of his father to face the stolen-car charges, 17-year-old Abagnale decided to impersonate a pilot.
