Eight Thousand five hundred Frank Abagnale 8,500 5/8/70 Eight Thousand five hundred Ruth Lynn Frank Abagnale 10,000 1/23/65 Ten Thousand John Smith Frank Abagnale 4,000 2/13/62 Four Thousand Frank Abagnale SR

Frank Abagnale “What I did in my youth is hundreds of times easier today. Technology breeds crime.”

Background Born April 27, 1948 Grew up in New York One out of four children of Paulette and Frank Abagnale At the age of 12 parents divorced Franks father was a major role model to him, he was also an affluent member to the local community in reference to politics Frank then moved in with his father His father gave him a gas credit card which he abused and used to plan his first scheme Used the card to buy tires and batteries then returned the for cash, causing his dad to go into almost $4,000 of debt After this he was sent to a home for wayward boys, he ran away from the home at 16 and started to live alone Not able to get a job, and have a limited amount of formal education, Frank made a fake ID and claimed to be older and more educated to get jobs Living this way he barley made ends meets, he resort to cash fake checks and over draw on personal accounts until the banks started to come after him for their money This when he made his way to France

Crimes Crime Date and Location Punishment Fraud 1969 France 1 year (served 6 months then extradited to Sweden) Fraud and swindling 1969 Sweden 6 Months (Deported to the US) Multiple counts of Forgery 1970 USA 12 Years- not served (4 years served - probation in exchange for early release worked for FBI as forgery consultant)

Most recently committed crime Multiple Counts of Forgery Posed as a professor looking for a job at Brigham Young University Fake his credentials and convinced the Dean to hire him as a sociology professor

Evidence Frank Abagnale was a master criminal the evidence the could find was scarce Check, Phone Calls, And fake IDs couldn’t be found/tracked The testimony of an ex-girlfriend is what put him behind bars, the flight attendant told authorities she sited Frank, this report then led to his capture.

Sentenced Sentenced to 12 Years in prison Instead he served 5 of the years The FBI offered him freedom in exchange for his service (working for FBI as forgery consultant)

Theory I think that the theory that fits Frank Abagnale is the Conflict Theory. In this theory They person in question turns to deviant behaviors because of limited resources or opportunities. That the ruling class is the higher class and laws are made for the purpose of protecting them. They have produce an image of the criminal class that is downgraded and dangerous. I think Frank falls into this theory because he was poor and could afford to live he turned to fraud and forgery to continue living his life, and once he got into the life he was stuck and still unable to meet his needs. I also think the fact that these crime where white collar further prove that this theory describes this criminal behavior. Although I do feel he put himself in the postion, his family wasn’t wealthy but they weren’t poor, he choose to put his father into debt in order to take girls out on dates. Then he choose to run away instead of going on the straight and narrow after reform school.

Definitions Fraud- wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain Swindling-use deception to deprive (someone) of money or possessions Extradited- hand over (a person accused or convicted of a crime) to the jurisdiction of the foreign state in which the crime was committed Forgery- the action of forging or producing a copy of a document, signature, banknote Probation-A sentence whereby a convict is released from confinement but is still under court supervision; a testing or a trial period