If you’ve seen the 2002 movie “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, you’ve seen the true story of reformed super-conman, forger and deception artist Frank Abagnale who, in 1965, at the tender age of 17, became the most successful bank robber in U.S. history.
Contrary to Hollywood’s portrayal of most bank robbers, Abagnale’s modus operandi never included blazing guns, giant safe-cracking machines, kidnapping, explosives or tunnels. Instead, Abagnale leveraged extreme talents in forgery, disguise, impersonation and social engineering to “beat the system,” leading international law enforcement authorities on a furtive chase that lasted for six years, ending at age 21 when he was arrested by authorities in France.
While despised for his crimes, the ingenuity and skill Abagnale used to commit them was also secretly admired by his law enforcement adversaries. After serving only five years of a twelve-year sentence in federal prison, in 1974 he was offered a prison release deal by U.S. authorities, contingent on his teaching them the techniques he used to help them catch other criminals. For the past 42 years, he has been doing just that, helping agencies like the FBI understand and apprehend those who would lie, cheat and steal their way through life.
I was privileged to sit in a private meeting with Mr. Abagnale last week as he answered questions from and told stories to me and about five or six other attendees of the 5th Annual Explore Healthcare Summit, which was sponsored by PLICO and held at Norman’s Embassy Suites Hotel. Over the past 42 years, Abagnale, in addition to his law enforcement consultancy, has established a private practice helping countless companies and government agencies around the world stay safe. He has been a keynote speaker at previous Explore Healthcare Summits, and has become a conference favorite.
Frank Abagnale impresses me as a man of deep and sincere regret, and also deep gratitude. Regret for his youthful crimes, gratitude for being given a second chance at success in his life, a playful sense of humor, profound intellect and disarming thankfulness for his family make him a very interesting and compelling man to talk to.
The crimes of fraud, theft and deception we currently see are not much different than what Abagnale was perpetrating in the 1960s; the major difference is modern technology and the Internet has made them much easier to pull off by people who are much less talented than he was. Forged documents that in the old days took a magnifying glass, razor blade and a steady hand can now be produced en masse quickly and accurately using a modern computer.
Abagnale’s insight into the criminal mindset spans the decades, though, and his understanding of modern crimes and classic criminal thinking has made him a valued asset in the fight against healthcare fraud and identity theft. As more crime moves off the streets and onto the Internet, it is becoming increasingly important to heed the advice of veterans and experts like Frank Abagnale. His books, “Stealing Your Life” and “The Art of the Con” should be read by everyone concerned with protecting their identity and finances on the Internet and elsewhere, and the organizers of the Explore Healthcare Summit should be commended for bringing Abagnale’s expertise to their constituency. For more information, visit www.abagnale.com.