It wouldn't surprise me. I'm kind of suspicious of him, personally. His story( true or false but especially, if it's true) always struck me as being all about white privilege because there's no way that he would've been able to do any of those things or even believably pass it off that he did all of those things in the 1960s- if he weren't white.
There's no "if". He was immediately caught lying about his story(in tv appearances) in 1978 (2 years before his book) - San Francisco Chronicle "A convict who makes up crimes" and The Daily Oklahoman "Inquiry shows 'reformed' con man hasn't quit yet". Presumably there were also other articles. Parts of his story are literally impossible, such as supposedly running scams when he was actually in prison. Likewise when supposedly scamming banks, it was impossible to travel to the number of banks and make as much money as he claimed. I would've liked the the movie if not for turning him into some supposed "genius", harmless person, and treating it as a real story. It would've been far better as a fictional story, and not benefiting a con man. The movie went even further than his own myth-making. He only had/has a career in selling lies because people *wanted and still want* to believe it, and actively deny the reality. Personally I immediately thought it was made up(even after accounting for artistic license) while watching the movie(I hadn't heard of him before, or at least didn't remember him), and sure enough found it was when looking up info after watching the movie.
How is this not the greatest con of all time? He's a con man who pretended to be a con man who continues to be a con man while all the time admitting to being a con man.
He failed repeatedly & quickly at direct cons, his later "success" at selling his story isn't really ability on his part, it's because people *want* to believe the lie - it's more "fun", "sticking it to the man", etc. You only need to look at how popular absurd conspiracy theories and hate groups are, to see the same thing(albeit more harmfully) - they *want* to believe it. Not to mention that some of his later "successes" are also lies, such as supposedly working for the FBI afterwards. He was immediately exposed in newspaper articles as lying about his story in 1978, he released his book in 1980, but people still wilfully ate it up. It's similar to former mafia members who have "reformed" and constantly sell their story(such as 1 particular guy that's all over youtube), while never really admitting how shameful their behaviour was, instead trading on the image people glorify. Not to mention claims such as being the "only surviving" member from a mafia group, when in reality they were nothing but the youngest(almost all were decades older) - with the vast majority having since died of old age. I went through the full list of the group for 1 guy - on average they lived *longer*(sometimes by a lot) than a typical lifespan, presumably due to wealth/resources.
Is it? I feel like charity fraud or senior fraud is worse. Your own family is a relationship of convenience and people who may have harmed you in one way or another in the past. Hurting people who've done nothing wrong to you and in the name of helping others seems far worse. All forms of betrayal is bad. Trying to pretend like one type of betrayal is as bad as another and for all people is it's own betrayal: that of logic and projection.
Idk about that bro. Yes that's low low for sure... Family, loyalty, trust, honesty, integrity are all huge things to me, and well, just are... but one thing I've definitely noticed and witnessed all over the world is that human beings in general tend to have a shared affection for mastering the art of betrayal..... AND HAVE NO BOTTOM LEVEL FORM! Least nothing that I know that I can claim - "Yes, this is as lowly a betrayal as it can possibly get and no one could ever possibly commit some form of betrayal lower than this!" And if I inevitably see some truly lowly shit and start to think that might be the *white whale of betrayal.... some ah will go and shatter that glass uhh floor, and set awhole new standard for lowly traitor mfs. Honestly I'd have to say the true lowest form of betrayal is that we're all guilty of. Betraying and revolting against our very Creator, even colluding with His most evil wretched of enemies against Him. Now that's truly low, only topped in lowliness by the utter stupidness of it. *hey that's some good gangster rap lyrics right there huh? "Yeah we sailin in the hood ,east LA understood? All eez good then comes hail look its da pigs on our tail and we'z bail but tf? We'z in mf'n jail! That snitch was stale, the white whale of betrayal... beach!!!" 👏😎🖖 And if I here these awesome rhymes in the charts next month and don't see no royalty check in the mail.... I'm coming ALL YALL'Z souls! 😠👻
If a con man’s con is faking being a con man when he’s not, is he now a con man, and if he is, does he cease to be since the con is no longer a con? -Frank’s paradox
The "convict who flushed himself down the airplane toilet" story was not invented by Spielberg; it was also told in Abagnale's autobiography on which the movie was based. But hey, never let facts get in the way of a good story!
I read this book years ago when I was a flight attendant. I was always a bit suspicious of his stories of getting jump seat rides around America. As a flight attendant, you enter the cockpit to serve food and drink, pilots have a language all their own, just as most professions have. I would also sit on the jump seat on empty sectors as I was training to be a pilot, I could watch and learn. Let me tell you, if you aren't trained, it's a confusing place. If you sat in the cockpit claiming to be a pilot, you would be found out in the first few conversations.
I'm a railroad conductor, and I can tell you no one would ever in a million years be remotely capable of convincing anyone in my profession of a single hour's experience.
EXACTLY. I was a saber fencing athlete (12+ medals) and instructor, and also a martial artist for decades. I could tell in 60-120 seconds of working with someone if they knew a bloody thing or they were some kind of Kung Phoney couch potato. It's PRECISELY why I always knew this film was a crock of friggin' sheet. 😂
I know exactly what everyone is talking about. I'm a magician and it takes YEARS to read all the books that teach you the scams i know. No one yoh could just pretend to be a magician and get away with it. We all speak English and unless you KNOW THE LANGUAGE, they'll figure you out in just a few conversations.
As a Delta employee in the 1970s, I still remember corporate security issuing bulletins about an individual who was jumpseating all over the world on various airlines. He was also cashing checks at all of the airline counters if they had the funds available. He couldn't ride on a Delta jumpseat because Delta denied the jumpseat to everyone including Delta pilots. Only company officials on company business and with a specific need, government officials on official business, and Secret Service officers protecting a dignitary could ride on a Delta jumpseat.
Anyone who thought the movie was completely true would probably be in line for a victim of Frank’s latest con. But it was an entertaining movie, that’s for sure.
Agreed, I just thought it was a really entertaining movie with a great cast. Same was DiCaprio's other film The Wolf of Wall Street. Whether anything in those films is 100% true doesn't concern me.
*** FYI *** At 13:31 There is a typo in the spelling of Sweden. Thank you to all of you who pointed that out 🤣🤣🤣 but It's not like I can go back and change it now.
I read the book in 1992 and found it fascinating. I went to the library and tried researching Frank Abagnale in a magazine back issue search system. The listing was supposed to go back to the 60s and was supposed to cover articles with major headlines in a variety of magazines. I figured anyone who's done what he did and has a successful business now must have news articles about him in business magazines, etc. There was NO mention of his name anywhere. I found that so puzzling. It was like he didn't exist.
The implication that humanity was hopelessly oblivious to the truth prior to the advent of the Internet and there was absolutely no way whatsoever to verify any of his story is outrageous.
}}} _The implication that humanity was hopelessly oblivious to the truth prior to the advent of the Internet and there was absolutely no way whatsoever to verify any of his story is outrageous._ It's much more a question of how easy it was to verify information, how good you were at making mockups that appeared to be the information, and how much effort they were willing to put in to verify it if it wasn't easy, and it often was not. Not even Faxes, for the most part at that point -- so everything had to be done with a phone call and/or by mail. If he gave you what appeared to be a suitable Harvard diploma, you might not actually call Harvard, you might not spend the time getting any kind of full info about a supposed student, and you more than likely did not decide to mail them back and forth trying to find out information. Add to that it was much much more of a high-trust society than it is these days. "Hey, he's got a diploma, FFS!" Trust me, kid, the 60s and early 70s, *that* part of his supposed scam would have been far far less difficult than you think. Not claiming I believe the book, but that part of it isn't the most doubtful part of his story by any means.
@@nickbrutanna9973 You’d have a point if his story wasn’t debunked during the exact time period where it’s described as being near-impossible to verify facts without the Internet. The claim is that just going by Frank’s word was the only way to know the truth, which flies in the face of every single bit of research ever done prior to the creation of the Internet. Humanity has spent nearly the entirety of its history managing information without needing computers. Investigative journalism didn’t suddenly appear from nowhere when the Internet came out either. Someone obviously did think his tale was fishy and did the necessary legwork to prove it. It’s ironic how the video starts with such a ludicrous claim, then proceeds to disprove this exact claim throughout the course of the video. And never did I ever state any of my opinions on any aspect of Frank’s story, so, I don’t know why you’re insinuating that I believe his scam was immensely difficult.
Yea other videos on this subject reveal many local publications outed him way back in the 60s and 70s when he claims all this happened. But those local stories were never picked up nationally. He was even questioned about those articles by Carson. But being an accomplished liar he talked his way around it and let’s face it…people wanted to believe.
Ya no 💩 but the fact every person has a phone with the internet now and before you had to go get and read a book, which let’s face it people are stupid so they don’t read. I’d bet they’ll google real quick or watch a video so info is so easy to access now it’s way different 🙄
@@Gixsir The trouble with the Internet is that almost ANYONE can post...WHATEVER...and it's not that hard nor expensive to maintain a web site. Utter lack of EDITING, which had to be done by any conscientious newspaper or magazine, else it'd lose credibility and/or get sued into oblivion. Scads of info, very little of it of any use. And, on the Internet, no one knows if you and/or I are a "dog".
If you watch Frank on Johnny Carson , at one point he is talking about another Pilot asking him what equipment he is on. Frank says "General Electric" and then he says the pilot nodded and walked away. Johnny Carson said "did he think you flew washing machines?" If you watch the GOOGLE presentation of Frank. In that same story Frank says that the Pilot said "Do you fly washing machines?" So Frank took what Johnny Carson said and thought it sounded good and so he added it to his Google presentation. :O
Why? His lawyers probably advised him on how to craft the story and disclaimers and called it a day. Do you think his "type" gives a damn about the TRUTH?
Spielberg bought the rights to his book. That's it. The movies was simply a re-telling of that book. Not a documentary. So really no reason for Spielberg's team to investigate. The story was the story. True or otherwise. And even THAT was modified in spots between Spielberg's movie and the original book. So in the end, the movie was just "an inaccurate story about an inaccurate story about a pathological liar".
@@FourteenWords-n4l An inconvenient fact that didn't fit Spielberg's saint-like portrayal was that in order to get onto Schindler's list, you had to pay a huge amount of $.
The thumbnail reads "Catch Me If You Can Was A TOTAL LIE" / "And Steven Spielberg Knew it!". Underneath is Frank Abagnale's photo as a youth superimposed on the actresses playing airline hostesses from the movie. Yet at 3:30, you say "... that Frank's biggest con of all.. well.. other than fooling Steven Spielberg...". The only other place in this video that Steven Spielberg is mentioned is in making up Frank Abagnale's escape via a toilet seat in the aeroplane. It is not that I particularly want to defend Steven Spielberg. Rather to point out that this video's content is opposite to its thumbnail. Why do that?
Yeah it’s just clickbait. I doubt Spielberg will ever want to comment on this as he obviously was fooled himself. Frank is the type that Hollywood people are drawn to because they represent people who “broke the system” and then used their intelligence for “good”.
Honestly my biggest relief is that it truly isn’t reasonable to believe someone can just pass a bar exam with so little study. As someone currently doing some legal studies, I was discouraged at how quickly one person could pick it up when everyone I know finds it insanely difficult!
@lygiabird6988 He never claimed that. He said that he studied for a long time and passed it. He claimed that was pretty much the only true thing he ever did. I dont know if its true or not, but he never claimed he passed it with "little study"
@@tellurye I thought he claimed that after he failed it the first time, he pretty much knew what would be on the test the second time so he studied for those specific questions.
I "met" "good ol' " Frank at a corporate meeting one year. He was a keynote speaker talking about "Security". He was likely making even more money than usual for this engagement as it wasn't too long after the Spielberg movie came out. His presentation wasn't all that remarkable. It included a few "humble brags" to it with warnings not to be socially engineered and even, what felt to me like, some faux contrition thrown in at the end (while he cashed "honest" checks using the same stories) I'm old enough to remember seeing the movie "The Great Imposter" starring Tony Curtis on black and white TV recalling it, remarkably, when seeing Frank in person. I also recall thinking what a shyster the Tony Curtis character was, and this guy had the same slimy "reek" about him, even if he was supposedly "reformed". It must have been a while ago, as I believe he did mention working with the FBI as part of his "credentials". I was privately shocked about having such a harsh reaction to him. The conference room was actually packed for his presentation, but at the end, I really didn't like the guy for some reason...even as some folks were commenting on how entertaining he was. I never did go to the theater to see the movie and never could watch it on (color) TV for very long, but was familiar with the "legend" of the guy who pretended to be a pilot. As someone who racked up 600 hours with my private license, I can't imagine anyone who has flown not recognizing a "poser" fairly quickly, but 50% of professionals graduated at the bottom half of their class, I suppose. Thank you for closure on a very long con by this reprobate. Maybe that toilet escape in the movie was a metaphor for the crap that was being put out overall on these lies...and sadly the money that can be made from well meaning suckers....including movie goers and even engineers at a conference.
You have discovered the essence of way too many corporate meetings. Many are great and effective. But far too many have speakers or "Experts" who really do not know that much but are really effective at getting those gigs. Style over substance.
@@richardhoff1626 Good point. Even at conferences, it would seem, the organizers want to be like the protagonist in the movie "Gladiator"...at the end, they want people to cheer when they are asked "Are you not Entertained ???"
You spotted the "toilet escape from an airliner" story as utter bullshit also? I was surprised that wasn't brought up right away, there were "movie goof" web sites even in 2002!
I remember looking this up in 2021 on a slow day at work and going down the rabbit hole, even finding the same pics of that Delta Flight Attendant from Baton Rouge. In an interview with her, she claimed he got her work schedule by simply asking the administration for it. Also read that when the author of the book called the prisons in Europe, they were astounded because they claimed that he was the first person to ever contact to verify! There were people in the 80s who tried to expose the truth, but were hushed quickly because people were making money on the "good story."
As my old boss used to say, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story". This is what made Hollywood, and most of our politicians, rich and famous.
Sounds a lot like my old man. He was a small time grifter right to the end, scamming anyone in his orbit. My mom's mother had him pegged from the beginning and said he would steal the pennies from a dead man's eyes. He groomed one of my brothers well to follow in his footsteps. At least I have a very keen sense of scammers as a result. He cleaned out my 'piggy bank' when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Thank you for revealing this, I never believed it happened but had a sick feeling that maybe somehow it did. What a relief to find out the truth! Some people are unable to tell the truth. I believe he is one of them!
I first heard of Frank back in 1993 when a friend of mine played a tape from a Church appearance that he had done. Talked about how he had repented, etc, etc. I called BS on a lot of his story back then because I've worked in the medical field and it doesn't matter what degree a person has, the interview process to get ANY job would require extensive medical knowledge. They would have found him out in under five minutes.
I trust traveling preachers about as much as I trust traveling salesmen. Too many frauds posing as the real deal. But then, I've also met (the too few) preachers who are real. Yet their very existence provides cover to arseholes as much as it provides shelter to the vulnerable against the storms of life... If there is any lesson to be learned here, it's that real people form bonds serving in their local community, real people don't serve some "big picture" YOU are simply unable to perceive. There are still good people "out there"... probably just down the street where they have always been. ...still working at being one myself...
I too received a tape at a church meeting, and listened to it over and over. I found the story to be fascinating, but so over the top as to make it suspicious. To think that he was ‘fleecing’ flocks of religious folks makes his tale even worse! I’m so disappointed to hear the real story, but thanks for sharing the truth about this guy!
So what youre telling me is the greatest scammer in history, isnt even a scammer as he scammed the whole world into believing that he is a scammer? ... Im not even mad, Im impressed.
My husband was at a work sponsered event in Louisville, KY around 2000 or 2001. Abagnale was a guest speaker at the event. My husband came home from the event telling me all about it and Abanale’s story and that a movie was going to be released about him. I remember thinking "he’s still conning people", as I was highly skeptical. I have since learned my intuition was correct!
Notice how many people could have been spared if this guy had been imprisoned instead of being treated lightly. For example the one-dollar bail, and the undeserved probation sentence
Very true! And maybe it started at home. He stole over (in today's money) $34,000 from his own father. And the dad goes easy on him. If your child stole $34,000 from you, what would you do? Tough call. Would he learn a hard lesson, or would he get off easy because he's your son? 🤔
I remember hearing a lecture of his back in 1982 and read his book. At the time, I thought this was incredible and for me part, tried to fact check some of his claims. Remember this was pre-Internet by over a decade ago. I tried to find support that Ken Dixon from the New York Times wrote about Frank and dubbed him “Skyway Man”. There were no microfiche articles on this of any kind whatsoever which raised my suspicions. Then I read the book and thought there must be corroboration at least somewhere. Nothing. Oh yeah, one other thing. He claimed to be bilingual in English and French and his accent and pronunciation is terrible. Not the accent of someone who is fluent in French and I know something about that. I suspected this back in 1982 and perhaps when the Spielberg film came out, that provided some credibility. Frank is very smart and if nothing else, a creative storyteller
Excellent point. Early in the film, his first "con", more of a prank, since he didn't like going to a public high school after his parents lost their prestigious New Rochelle home, in wake of Frank Sr's financial reverse, and IRS troubles, and had to move into a humble apartment, he poses as a substitute French teacher, because, well, with a French MOTHER, presumably he'd understand French, right? Except that w/o either being in some tight local community of French-Americans (or transplanted Quebecois), he's not going to use his French all that much, and so would lose it over time. The movie has his French grandmother only coming over to help her daughter in wake of the divorce, which, assuming she's Catholic, makes her a pariah as then French society didn't recognize divorce (it's a sin in the Catholic Church), even though the 1792 Revolution had made it legal. So Frank obviously has little contact with his French relatives, and therefore, less exposure to the language. IDK that even he understood being truly "bilingual", he made have known a lot of French words, but w/o opportunity to USE it, he'd get "rusty" at it. This was the experience of the Soviet V-VS MiG-25 pilot that escaped with his fighter plane from the Soviet Far East to Japan in 1976. He had a few years of English in high school, it was actually required then in where he attended. But he was a RUSSIAN, and obviously that was his native language. After Viktor Belenko was granted asylum in the USA, his English improved quite a bit, until he spoke it with barely any Slavic accent. However, he had relatively few Russian speakers to regularly converse with, and had to exercise care in circulating with the Russian-American community as it was known there were KGB "moles" therein, and even the Russian Mob would have liked to profit by an unofficial bounty on his head. It was after the collapse of the Soviet Union that Belekno could come out of his assumed identity without fear of retaliation, which, by then, his command of the Russian language had actually slipped! It was only the ability to more freely associate with Russians, especially in a local church, that he regained his fluency.
The book may be a complete work of fiction, but it's still a really engaging read. They should just move it from the autobiography section to the fiction section😂
Worked with a guy who used to be his personal assistant. Apparently Frank was pretty shiesty. I know we saw that from the movie, but the parts they left out were even worse. In one of his heists- he perched outside of a bank that was unexpectedly closed due to an issue with the building. He posed as a bank employee, and took everyone’s checks that came to the bank. . he cashed all those payroll checks and pocketed the money.
@@Look_What_You_Did You don't need to sign over cash checks. The bearer of the check can get cash for it, no questions asked. I assume the people left the cash with him and he was suppose to deposit it into their bank accounts.
@@robfromvan It's pretty easy to find a pen. All he had to do was sign the person's name, then write "pay to the order of so-and-so" below the signature in order to transfer the check to himself. This was a time when there wasn't a lot of cross checking going on. And a payroll check wouldn't hold any account information for the recipient. They still don't.
@robfromvan nah. You don't write it out to a person. You simply write CASH on the check. Had a few old timers write checks like that to me before. Never understood it. It's a check already... I can cash or deposit it. Why risk not writing MY name on it.
I worked as a bank teller when I was in college, starting in 1999. Part of the training on check fraud was watching a video of him talking about his exploits. Total con man, I guess. He lied about his crimes, though he was a criminal, and then lied about being reformed.
In a way, he didn't "lie"...he gave you a firsthand example of a practiced con artist. But, if Abagnale's advice on check forging methods and how to spot them were useful ,then your employer got what was paid for.
if he made a video talking about exploits isn't that the definition of being reformed? You can't really expect someone who lied to get free air rides across the globe to never lie again.
@@picketf The definition of being reformed? Not hardly. First of all, you have no idea of whether he was even being honest about his check forging techniques. And, second of all, extending your grift by getting paid to glorify it is hardly a definition of being reformed.
@@chuckschillingvideos You might be right. It's just that in the criminal world talking about exploits is a very very rare thing, more so in the past when he started spilling the beans. Then again he might not be a criminal in the sense that his endeavours were all premeditated and all. It's much more likely he's just a swindler, a manic liar that just made everything up on the spot, so it's hard to say on which side he is at the moment.
Its not the only story Spielberg lied about ... Shindlers List known from the book as Shindlers Ark, also won literary prizes for "Best Fiction".Hollywood will lie about anything for a dollar !
I remember seeing the movie after reading the book and being disappointed that they had changed, added or removed so many elements. But now I'm even angrier knowing that even the book was a bunch of BS. Once a conman, always a conman. You said at the beginning that Steven Spielberg knew it was not true, but I missed that bit in the video.
You're surprised that the "esteemed" director wouldn't spew a load of bullshit. This from a man of whose one most famous movie franchise purports that the Nazis could deploy a company-sized army guard detachment at a famous archeological site in 1936 Egypt, right under not only THEIR noses but also the UK, and, a bit later, have a SUB PEN in the Aegean Sea on some Greek island, which would have come as a helluva shock to the Royal Navy, as well as the Greeks and/or Turks! Such things as how various German/Arab "mooks" got a hold of an M1940 "Machhinenpistolen" in the same year, four years EARLIER than first issued, or how Indy grabbed a SOVIET-made RPG, first issued in 1947, are but "minor" problems in a movie, which, while VERY entertaining, is completely full of SHIT.
Yep, I missed it too, although the toilet escape fabrication means that Spielberg had to know at least that bit was untrue, and while he would argue it was poetic license, considering the entire premis was about a conman's true story, I would suggest that fabricating that escape makes Spielberg complicit in the real con.
Aaaannd this is proof that the education system is failing. It evidently does _not_ teach students to be discerning readers; to not blindly believe everything that they read or watch.
You stole from the conman. This reminds of when we had peer to peer mp3 sharing software. I used Kazaa and I used Kazaa to download Kazaa pro which eliminated ads and improved transfer speeds. I think Kazaa even got annoyed people were pirating their software.
Like all conmen (and women!)they rely on your stupidity and/or your gullibility to weave their spell. The only person you should really feel anger or pity for is yourself. Grow a brain!
I thought it was common knowledge that Abignale's story was false. When a man who admits that he is a consummate liar tells you a fantastical, far fetched story, then there's a very good chance that his story is.... made up. Are people really unable to connect the dots? lol.
What this video failed to uncover is the fact that Frank Abignale actually played himself in the movie by convincing Spielberg that he was Leo DiCaprio! 😮😂
Back in the 80’s I heard a radio program where Frank told his tale; it was amazing, fantastical and hard to believe. However, his very public claim to have worked for the FBI, gave the story a de facto seal of authenticity. I assumed that if it weren’t true, wouldn’t the FBI shut him down and expose the lie?
Maybe he DID "work" for the FBI, although probably not as a civil servant in an 8:30 to 5:00 desk job, with one hour for lunch. You think he always worked ALONE? Judging by this guy's lack of character, I'd say he ratted out whatever accomplices he had, and they weren't too happy about it. The FBI normally doesn't talk the details about its informers and advisers.
We WANT to believe an outrageous story, even when common sense should cause us to be dubious. Who'd not want to believe they could have banged Amy Adams and Jennier Garner in their respective primes?
I read his book in the late 80's after hearing him on a radio interview. It was an introduction to a world I never knew. Jumpseats on planes, passing the Bar on your own, running a hospital floor, teaching at a university, getting laid with bad checks. He spoke with such humility and assurance. I was drawn in by the blue baby story, and the Louisiana State Bar story. I doubted the veracity in situations of the book, but I thought, "This is a non-fiction published book. Fact checkers go over all the details." How naive I was. How naive we all were. Con men use the credibility of others to enhance their own, and I trusted the source. After all, the interview was on a news reporting station!!! Wow, he really knew how to dupe us.
abignale was exposed shortly after his appearance on carson but the story was only printed in the sf chron no national news agency picked up on it so frank was able to continue running his con
He's interviewed in an old book about personality disorders called "The Self Seekers", and comes across as extremely pleased with himself as a con artist. Far cry from the sob story retellings of his life he started giving to audiences in later years.
(1) He's probably figured out how to shield his assets from seizure. (2) How much DID he actually steal from PanAm? Given that his "airline pilot" career is well, dubious, so is probably the amounts that he stole from PanAm. Please keep in mind that the airline went belly up in the 1990s, not necessarily due to Abagnale's theft, but the receiver can do only so much to try to recover their losses...if they went to court and got a judgement against him. I have no idea what restitution the Federal and State courts imposed upon him. I'd say that by the time Abagnale actually had anything worth pursuing, Pan Am had bigger problems.
I started to watch the movie for the first time last week. Early in the film I was looking up Hanratty to see if he was really the detective who was chasing Abignale. That's when I discovered that the whole story was a lie. That's when I turned the movie off. Thanks for the real story.
FIY: There are probably too many to count the number of movies: "based on a true story" & "based on the best selling book by _____". When in reality the only thing that is actually fact based is the title of the book. So what.
I cannot believe they couldn't do background checks back then just because *no internet.* So Mr. Abagnale, where were you incarcerated? What police department handled your last arrest? Names? Ok, lemme just make a coupla phonecalls. Midway through viewing, see, they just had to make a few phonecalls but the tv networks weren't interested in fact checking. They had a great con- storyteller and people loved hearing his stories.
Exactly, there was a way to check the truth in the Roman Empire 2000 years ago. I mean we have written documents how is that worked. It doesn't matter what kind of tools we have, internet, phone, telegraph or just a guy with a letter.
I learned awhile ago after learning the truth about the film “Brian’s Song” that just about every Hollywood movie based on a true story is mostly Hollywood “fluff” and really just loosely based on an actual person(s) but not necessarily based on the events (not most anyway) that take place in the film. In the movie Brian’s Song, Brian Piccolo & Gale Sayers were depicted as inseparable best friends when in actuality they were just friends, not best friends and most, not all, of the events in that film never took place. So this information about about Frank’s story certainly is no shock to me but rather expected.
15:15. I'm glad you mentioned the toilet escape in the movie. That's what rankled me as to the validity of the whole spiel, because I know that's impossible. There can't be any direct access from the cabin to the outside unless it's via a door there is no access from any toilet to the cargo hold also. Even if you somehow got into the hold, I don't think you can open the doors from the inside.
@@randallkohn6089 I should have mentioned that the waste water tank is also directly beneath the toilets (both sides). So if you remove the toilet what you see is a big sturdy tank of nasty stuff which gets pumped out on the ground.
Yes. However in Flight of the Zombies There was access to cargo through a hatch on the floor. Once in cargo Frank can search the bags for a chequebook and expensive cologne. I’m not talking about Hai Karate. I mean the expensive cologne.
Agreed it is impossible to exit an aircraft via a toilet nor a cargo hold door from the inside. All aircraft that I have worked on you could only open the cargo hold from the outside. In the book, Abignale said he escaped from a BAC VC10. There is a route that he could have used to escape from a VC10. I was an RAF aircraft engineer and spent 11 years on the VC10. This is the route he could have used. The forward galley floor has an access to the radio rack bay below the galley. The radio rack bay has two doors. One door accesses the forward cargo bay where it is impossible to open the forward cargo door from the inside. The other door / hatch is in the floor of the radio rack bay and can be opened from the inside but only if the aircraft is depressurized. It is big enough for a person to get through and is only about a meter of the ground. It is perfectly feasable to drop through the hatch even if the aircraft is taxying. The hatch though does have a warning light to alert the crew if the hatch is not closed properly but he would have exited the aircraft long before the light could be investigated. I have used the reversed route many times to enter the VC10 when I could not acces via the main doors.
@@gould571 Then Abagnale and Agent Hanratty would have been flying to NY-JFK on then BOAC (British Airways), and Frank had been arrested by the French police. Presumably Hanratty got his prisoner moved on a flight to London-Heathrow, where they changed planes to the VC 10. The point was, this route of escape from an airliner was highly improbable, even in 1970.
Wait, so the FBI has neither confirmed, nor denied this story?? Right. And all of our aources are from the author of this book trying to debunk everything?? Are we getting double conned... Sounds like someone needs to fact check this video lol
The worst is that Google removed all comments on the video of him giving a speech at their headquarters. They wanted to keep the video up and not let people inform anyone that it was all lies.
Commonly attributed to Winston Churchill. While he did say it, I'd be surprised if the saying originated with him. Not only was he a very well-read, educated man, while PM (twice), he had a staff of awesome speech writers. However, few probably said it, and other things more ELOQUENTLY, than did Winston.
@@selfdo Delivery is everything - which is also true of the subject of this video. Unfortunately "delivery" is so often taken as the whole rather than its content.
As an aviation lover i never believed the aviation side of his stories. I was always interested in his check cashing scams and how he helpd create the security stuff check and credit card companies use even today. What a POS he should have to repay all those ppl that paid to see his speeches. Thanks for this Magnus!
I was always skeptical as well. I gather he did take a few deadhead flights, but I've always doubted he flew nearly as many miles that way as he claimed. I just don't know how a non-pilot could spend that much time in the cockpit with actual pilots, and not give himself away. Sooner or later, I would think, one of the real pilots would start talking about something technical and work related, and ask him questions he couldn't answer, and then start to get suspicious.
Having seen two of his speeches in the span of a month at professional conferences, I disagree that he should repay those how paid to hear him. Instead, every cent he earned from them should be diverted to his victims as restitution.
I’m a 71yo Veteran and A Retired Corporate Pilot. I Definitely Remember Frank!! He Was My Idle For His Ability To Pull This Off! I lived in NYC and Would See The PAN AM Aircraft Flying Over My House Everyday. When The Story Came Out The Kids On my Block Would Go To The Roof And YELL… “Go Frank Go.”😊
Just a few hours ago I saw him on Facebook shorts telling people not to use debit cards. I didn't see the movie. Haven't watched many movies since I whip lashed my neck in 1988. Can't sit that long without the neck pain starting. I was an FBI file clerk in 1975 and they will confirm that fact to anyone that inquires. How he's got away with it for this long is amazing.
@@billblaski9523 historically, most debit cards have not offered the same fraud protections as credit cards. You might still be held liable for the full amount of a fraudulent charge made on your debit card, whereas most credit cards have limits to the consumer’s liability. I understand that is starting to change as debit cards remain popular.
@@billblaski9523the downside to debt cards is when it comes to fraud and i suppose every bank has different policies. Credit cards usually have a zero liability towards fraud. But debit cards might hold you responsible. At wells Fargo for example.. last time i looked it said you had to report frauds within 24 hours of it happening. Well you may not even know about it that fast.
We all have temptations to do bad things. Some people seem to give in to that temptation more than others. But, we’re all human, right? But then there are people like this guy. He is what I call a “bad Apple.” Shows no signs of a moral compass. Despite consequences, he still does everything he can in order to deceive and get money. No remorse. No conscience. There is no truth in him. And I doubt he will ever know the truth.
I just saw the movie about a month ago and thought the whole time that it seemed quite fanciful and not possible. I assumed that there were many liberties taken by the script writer but it appears that most of the liberties were actually taken by Mr. Abignale himself.
I actually used this movie to have a talk with my kids about people with no moral compass. Anyone who starts that young will be unethical forever - so watch out! Usually they start smaller since today they can't do what Frank claimed
Maximus, you asked for topics a while back…I really enjoy hearing military pilot/aviator stories, about incidents that may have slipped by the public purview. Such as the one you made a few weeks ago, in which the Marine assisted local PD with a “borrowed” helo. 🍻
Thank you for producing this. Glad to know the truth, in some of his interviews he changed some of the information. If you detect one lie from someone, it won't be the only one coming your way...
Anyone expecting Hollywood to deliver a story factually is already in too deep. It's even more incredible when the facts are easily accessible - such as Disney's Secretariat - Sure they got the horse stuff right, but the family was not in any financial danger - just written that way for effect. This is just another example why Hollywood should stay away from 'Based on reality' because that is the thinnest of lies.
What part of "based on reality" are you not understanding? Secretariat existed, just as Milan High School existed and countless other "based on a true story" stories. As they said in Life of Pi, "the story with animals is a better story."
@@terrylandess6072 in Hoosiers the coach was a fired college coach and he hired an alcoholic as his assistant. In reality coach Wood was 24, his previous experience was at French Lick high school and there were no alcoholics involved. Yes, it is called drama.
Seems to me that this video actually proves Abagnale’s story. The specifics were exaggerated and changed for the movie, but the underlying story is true.
@@GregConquest He stole checks and a uniform. He never became a lawyer, never pretended to be a doctor and served 3 different prison terms which were never mentioned in the movie. Not exactly checking every box there.
@@GregConquest Nor did he bang Jennifer Garner in her friggin' prime and con HER out of $400. But Frank probably did charm a few "lookers" when he was a "yute". As long as they were just skanky hos, no matter how well-dressed and "classy" they looked.
I saw an interview with Abagnales and the interviewer believed every word even though the guy's whole schtick is that he's a very good liar. Very good stories btw, the guy should do stand-up.
I read his book in the '80s when I was in highschool. What we know for sure is that Abagnale was a master at forgery. His book tells details all the tricks he used in defrauding banks all over the world. Now whether he infact used the jump seat or passed the bar could very well be fictional. Abagnale was on the FBI's most wanted list for forgery. They searched for him all over the world... He was eventually caught and did time in prison. Upon release Frank was hired by the people he had been defrauding, he changed how banks and companies made their checks... He did all his forgery and globetrotting in the '70s ,a time when it was much easier to make fake documents... It's still a fascinating story even if some of the "intersting" parts were made up...
If this is true, he is a con artist who made a fortune pretending to be a con artist….the perfect crime!!
Damn it. That was my post.
It wouldn't surprise me. I'm kind of suspicious of him, personally. His story( true or false but especially, if it's true) always struck me as being all about white privilege because there's no way that he would've been able to do any of those things or even believably pass it off that he did all of those things in the 1960s- if he weren't white.
The plot of this story is like an M. C. Escher drawing.
There's no "if". He was immediately caught lying about his story(in tv appearances) in 1978 (2 years before his book) - San Francisco Chronicle "A convict who makes up crimes" and The Daily Oklahoman "Inquiry shows 'reformed' con man hasn't quit yet". Presumably there were also other articles.
Parts of his story are literally impossible, such as supposedly running scams when he was actually in prison. Likewise when supposedly scamming banks, it was impossible to travel to the number of banks and make as much money as he claimed.
I would've liked the the movie if not for turning him into some supposed "genius", harmless person, and treating it as a real story. It would've been far better as a fictional story, and not benefiting a con man. The movie went even further than his own myth-making.
He only had/has a career in selling lies because people *wanted and still want* to believe it, and actively deny the reality.
Personally I immediately thought it was made up(even after accounting for artistic license) while watching the movie(I hadn't heard of him before, or at least didn't remember him), and sure enough found it was when looking up info after watching the movie.
Frank Dux
How is this not the greatest con of all time? He's a con man who pretended to be a con man who continues to be a con man while all the time admitting to being a con man.
He failed repeatedly & quickly at direct cons, his later "success" at selling his story isn't really ability on his part, it's because people *want* to believe the lie - it's more "fun", "sticking it to the man", etc.
You only need to look at how popular absurd conspiracy theories and hate groups are, to see the same thing(albeit more harmfully) - they *want* to believe it.
Not to mention that some of his later "successes" are also lies, such as supposedly working for the FBI afterwards.
He was immediately exposed in newspaper articles as lying about his story in 1978, he released his book in 1980, but people still wilfully ate it up.
It's similar to former mafia members who have "reformed" and constantly sell their story(such as 1 particular guy that's all over youtube), while never really admitting how shameful their behaviour was, instead trading on the image people glorify. Not to mention claims such as being the "only surviving" member from a mafia group, when in reality they were nothing but the youngest(almost all were decades older) - with the vast majority having since died of old age. I went through the full list of the group for 1 guy - on average they lived *longer*(sometimes by a lot) than a typical lifespan, presumably due to wealth/resources.
It just may go down as the greatest ever because even if he gets caught in all the lies, he has THIS story to tell.
Religion and Banks are both better cons😅
Exactly… mega PROPS to him!! 😊😊😊😊😊😊
@@RoddyPipersCorneasHe cannot be that bad - He conned Hollyweird in to making a movie about him…
Stealing from your own family and people that help you is the lowest form of betrayal.
Is it? I feel like charity fraud or senior fraud is worse.
Your own family is a relationship of convenience and people who may have harmed you in one way or another in the past.
Hurting people who've done nothing wrong to you and in the name of helping others seems far worse.
All forms of betrayal is bad. Trying to pretend like one type of betrayal is as bad as another and for all people is it's own betrayal: that of logic and projection.
Very true.
Idk about that bro.
Yes that's low low for sure... Family, loyalty, trust, honesty, integrity are all huge things to me, and well, just are... but one thing I've definitely noticed and witnessed all over the world is that human beings in general tend to have a shared affection for mastering the art of betrayal..... AND HAVE NO BOTTOM LEVEL FORM!
Least nothing that I know that I can claim - "Yes, this is as lowly a betrayal as it can possibly get and no one could ever possibly commit some form of betrayal lower than this!"
And if I inevitably see some truly lowly shit and start to think that might be the *white whale of betrayal.... some ah will go and shatter that glass uhh floor, and set awhole new standard for lowly traitor mfs.
Honestly I'd have to say the true lowest form of betrayal is that we're all guilty of.
Betraying and revolting against our very Creator, even colluding with His most evil wretched of enemies against Him. Now that's truly low, only topped in lowliness by the utter stupidness of it.
*hey that's some good gangster rap lyrics right there huh?
"Yeah we sailin in the hood ,east LA understood? All eez good then comes hail look its da pigs on our tail and we'z bail but tf? We'z in mf'n jail! That snitch was stale, the white whale of betrayal... beach!!!" 👏😎🖖
And if I here these awesome rhymes in the charts next month and don't see no royalty check in the mail.... I'm coming ALL YALL'Z souls! 😠👻
I thought it was the sincerest form of flattery?
He is a narcissistic psychopath.
If a con man’s con is faking being a con man when he’s not, is he now a con man, and if he is, does he cease to be since the con is no longer a con?
-Frank’s paradox
Nice, but he's an con artist we just didn't know the real con. So no paradox just a big con🤣🤣🤣
Is this a….. paracon?
He is still a con man, but he's a con man for a different con
Well, he was a con man, but the biggest con he did was fooling the media into believing he was a much better con man than he really was.
NO a con vict
The "convict who flushed himself down the airplane toilet" story was not invented by Spielberg; it was also told in Abagnale's autobiography on which the movie was based.
But hey, never let facts get in the way of a good story!
Gee, I can't believe he'd lie like that. He seems like such an upstanding fellow...
😂😂👏👏👏
Beware of people who can't pronounce their own name.
Thats what makes for a good con-man
I think it was more of exaggeration to sell a book. Nothing wrong with that. This story confirms most of Frank's book. Not the movie though.
Wait, a habitual liar is exposed as a liar? 😂😂😂
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn .."mark chopper read" ❤
Schindler's List was also fiction
fox news motto
73% of good stories are lies
Heard that!
I read this book years ago when I was a flight attendant. I was always a bit suspicious of his stories of getting jump seat rides around America.
As a flight attendant, you enter the cockpit to serve food and drink, pilots have a language all their own, just as most professions have.
I would also sit on the jump seat on empty sectors as I was training to be a pilot, I could watch and learn.
Let me tell you, if you aren't trained, it's a confusing place. If you sat in the cockpit claiming to be a pilot, you would be found out in the first few conversations.
I'm a railroad conductor, and I can tell you no one would ever in a million years be remotely capable of convincing anyone in my profession of a single hour's experience.
EXACTLY. I was a saber fencing athlete (12+ medals) and instructor, and also a martial artist for decades. I could tell in 60-120 seconds of working with someone if they knew a bloody thing or they were some kind of Kung Phoney couch potato. It's PRECISELY why I always knew this film was a crock of friggin' sheet. 😂
truth im such a skeptic cause no person is tha adept
I know exactly what everyone is talking about.
I'm a magician and it takes YEARS to read all the books that teach you the scams i know. No one yoh could just pretend to be a magician and get away with it.
We all speak English and unless you KNOW THE LANGUAGE, they'll figure you out in just a few conversations.
What’s your vector, Victor?
As a Delta employee in the 1970s, I still remember corporate security issuing bulletins about an individual who was jumpseating all over the world on various airlines. He was also cashing checks at all of the airline counters if they had the funds available. He couldn't ride on a Delta jumpseat because Delta denied the jumpseat to everyone including Delta pilots. Only company officials on company business and with a specific need, government officials on official business, and Secret Service officers protecting a dignitary could ride on a Delta jumpseat.
After Jurasic Park Steven Spielberg didn't bother much with truthful movies.
Which ones before Jurassic park were "truthful" movies?
Munich, bridge of spies, the Post, etc
@ I said before JP (1993). All of those you mentioned came out after 2000.
Anyone who thought the movie was completely true would probably be in line for a victim of Frank’s latest con. But it was an entertaining movie, that’s for sure.
Your comment is perfect.
Also a great con.
Conception… wait that words already taken
I'm not sure that it really mattered whether it was partially or completely true or not true at all. It was an entertaining movie.
Agreed, I just thought it was a really entertaining movie with a great cast. Same was DiCaprio's other film The Wolf of Wall Street. Whether anything in those films is 100% true doesn't concern me.
*** FYI *** At 13:31 There is a typo in the spelling of Sweden. Thank you to all of you who pointed that out 🤣🤣🤣 but It's not like I can go back and change it now.
And there's me thinking it was a joke
Pin this to the top of the comments 😉
I read the book in 1992 and found it fascinating. I went to the library and tried researching Frank Abagnale in a magazine back issue search system. The listing was supposed to go back to the 60s and was supposed to cover articles with major headlines in a variety of magazines. I figured anyone who's done what he did and has a successful business now must have news articles about him in business magazines, etc.
There was NO mention of his name anywhere. I found that so puzzling. It was like he didn't exist.
Read the second to last sentence of your post and tell me if there's a word missing.
@@Eidolon1andOnlyOk, teacher. Do we have homework today?
Try looking up Obama
@@Eidolon1andOnly yes there was, and it's fixed now.
I read the book as well. I thought it was a good read. He's a con man so he pulled off another con. Not surprising at all. 16:28
Next you'll be telling us they didnt use real dinosaurs in Jurassic Park
Dinosaurs are a lie anyway
😆
Actually they did. Birds are dinosaurs so...
Nowhere, in no way, did it ever say “based on real people and/or real events” …thus…this is a waste.
The implication that humanity was hopelessly oblivious to the truth prior to the advent of the Internet and there was absolutely no way whatsoever to verify any of his story is outrageous.
Yes! If anything, it opened the floodgates for the post-truth era and the death of expertise.
And apparently even the Internet could not help TH-cam producers spell the most difficult country of all: "Sweeden"?!
All we hear now is “misinformation” or “disinformation” that while we have the internet.
}}} _The implication that humanity was hopelessly oblivious to the truth prior to the advent of the Internet and there was absolutely no way whatsoever to verify any of his story is outrageous._
It's much more a question of how easy it was to verify information, how good you were at making mockups that appeared to be the information, and how much effort they were willing to put in to verify it if it wasn't easy, and it often was not. Not even Faxes, for the most part at that point -- so everything had to be done with a phone call and/or by mail. If he gave you what appeared to be a suitable Harvard diploma, you might not actually call Harvard, you might not spend the time getting any kind of full info about a supposed student, and you more than likely did not decide to mail them back and forth trying to find out information.
Add to that it was much much more of a high-trust society than it is these days. "Hey, he's got a diploma, FFS!"
Trust me, kid, the 60s and early 70s, *that* part of his supposed scam would have been far far less difficult than you think. Not claiming I believe the book, but that part of it isn't the most doubtful part of his story by any means.
@@nickbrutanna9973 You’d have a point if his story wasn’t debunked during the exact time period where it’s described as being near-impossible to verify facts without the Internet. The claim is that just going by Frank’s word was the only way to know the truth, which flies in the face of every single bit of research ever done prior to the creation of the Internet. Humanity has spent nearly the entirety of its history managing information without needing computers. Investigative journalism didn’t suddenly appear from nowhere when the Internet came out either. Someone obviously did think his tale was fishy and did the necessary legwork to prove it. It’s ironic how the video starts with such a ludicrous claim, then proceeds to disprove this exact claim throughout the course of the video. And never did I ever state any of my opinions on any aspect of Frank’s story, so, I don’t know why you’re insinuating that I believe his scam was immensely difficult.
I always roll my eyes when a video claims we couldn't do research before the Internet....
Yea other videos on this subject reveal many local publications outed him way back in the 60s and 70s when he claims all this happened. But those local stories were never picked up nationally. He was even questioned about those articles by Carson. But being an accomplished liar he talked his way around it and let’s face it…people wanted to believe.
Ya no 💩 but the fact every person has a phone with the internet now and before you had to go get and read a book, which let’s face it people are stupid so they don’t read. I’d bet they’ll google real quick or watch a video so info is so easy to access now it’s way different 🙄
Information is just quicker and cheaper to access now. @@Gixsir
@@Gixsir The trouble with the Internet is that almost ANYONE can post...WHATEVER...and it's not that hard nor expensive to maintain a web site. Utter lack of EDITING, which had to be done by any conscientious newspaper or magazine, else it'd lose credibility and/or get sued into oblivion. Scads of info, very little of it of any use.
And, on the Internet, no one knows if you and/or I are a "dog".
yeah
If you watch Frank on Johnny Carson , at one point he is talking about another Pilot asking him what equipment he is on. Frank says "General Electric" and then he says the pilot nodded and walked away. Johnny Carson said "did he think you flew washing machines?"
If you watch the GOOGLE presentation of Frank. In that same story Frank says that the Pilot said "Do you fly washing machines?" So Frank took what Johnny Carson said and thought it sounded good and so he added it to his Google presentation. :O
Yeah I noticed that lol
Well, General Electric did make JET ENGINES, but I'm sure that's not what the pilot was asking about.
Got lost in your explanation there. But General Electric has made aircraft engines for decades.
@@MechaneerYep. It's my day job; virtually every certification report is published by my group.
The entire movie script is a transcript of that Jhonny Carson show.
I mean… I thought Spielberg’s team looked up police/FBI and prison records, that’s why I didn’t think to doubt the story.
Why? His lawyers probably advised him on how to craft the story and disclaimers and called it a day. Do you think his "type" gives a damn about the TRUTH?
Spielberg bought the rights to his book. That's it. The movies was simply a re-telling of that book. Not a documentary. So really no reason for Spielberg's team to investigate. The story was the story. True or otherwise.
And even THAT was modified in spots between Spielberg's movie and the original book. So in the end, the movie was just "an inaccurate story about an inaccurate story about a pathological liar".
Wait…. You’re telling me that a Hollywood director embellished a story which was already embellished for entertainment!?? I am shocked and appalled.
You should investigate the true story of Oskar Schindler. Not the fiction Spielberg's film portrays.
@@e-curb
That popped into my head just the other night. Thanks for reminding me. I betcha 'e wuz 'orrid!
@@FourteenWords-n4l An inconvenient fact that didn't fit Spielberg's saint-like portrayal was that in order to get onto Schindler's list, you had to pay a huge amount of $.
However, that was probably a lie
@@e-curb are you saying that Steven Spielberg’s version is different from the book?
He must have fooled the DOJ too, because the US Attorneys Office hired him to speak at their training facility. That’s where I met him in 2011.
He said the worst jail was in France, and the softest was in Sweden.
If you want to fool the DOJ, just tell them the story they want to hear.
That was the joke of a DOJ run by Eric Holder. A real criminal and con man along with his boss. To be expected
Uncle Sam's really scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Government is paying crooks with the citizens money what a hecking surprise! Imagine my shock 🤣
Compulsive liar turns out to be...shocker...a compulsive liar.
80
Then they become politicians
Tallest of tall stories. 😂
The thumbnail reads "Catch Me If You Can Was A TOTAL LIE" / "And Steven Spielberg Knew it!". Underneath is Frank Abagnale's photo as a youth superimposed on the actresses playing airline hostesses from the movie. Yet at 3:30, you say "... that Frank's biggest con of all.. well.. other than fooling Steven Spielberg...". The only other place in this video that Steven Spielberg is mentioned is in making up Frank Abagnale's escape via a toilet seat in the aeroplane. It is not that I particularly want to defend Steven Spielberg. Rather to point out that this video's content is opposite to its thumbnail. Why do that?
Yeah it’s just clickbait. I doubt Spielberg will ever want to comment on this as he obviously was fooled himself. Frank is the type that Hollywood people are drawn to because they represent people who “broke the system” and then used their intelligence for “good”.
So he was an imposter pretending to be an imposter? I'm scandalized.😅😂🤣
Honestly my biggest relief is that it truly isn’t reasonable to believe someone can just pass a bar exam with so little study. As someone currently doing some legal studies, I was discouraged at how quickly one person could pick it up when everyone I know finds it insanely difficult!
I think the whole point behind Frank “passing” the bar exam was to show how insanely smart he is. 🤮
You should know there is 4 states you can just take the bar exam and not go to school .
@lygiabird6988 He never claimed that. He said that he studied for a long time and passed it. He claimed that was pretty much the only true thing he ever did. I dont know if its true or not, but he never claimed he passed it with "little study"
Or that a hospital can hire a fake doctor to supervise an emergency room.
@@tellurye I thought he claimed that after he failed it the first time, he pretty much knew what would be on the test the second time so he studied for those specific questions.
Never forget: If something is too good to be true, it probably is.
I agree, I'm still waiting for those millions from that nice Nigerian Prince. LOL.
If something is too good to be true, it probably is true?
81 million.
I "met" "good ol' " Frank at a corporate meeting one year. He was a keynote speaker talking about "Security". He was likely making even more money than usual for this engagement as it wasn't too long after the Spielberg movie came out. His presentation wasn't all that remarkable. It included a few "humble brags" to it with warnings not to be socially engineered and even, what felt to me like, some faux contrition thrown in at the end (while he cashed "honest" checks using the same stories)
I'm old enough to remember seeing the movie "The Great Imposter" starring Tony Curtis on black and white TV recalling it, remarkably, when seeing Frank in person. I also recall thinking what a shyster the Tony Curtis character was, and this guy had the same slimy "reek" about him, even if he was supposedly "reformed". It must have been a while ago, as I believe he did mention working with the FBI as part of his "credentials". I was privately shocked about having such a harsh reaction to him.
The conference room was actually packed for his presentation, but at the end, I really didn't like the guy for some reason...even as some folks were commenting on how entertaining he was.
I never did go to the theater to see the movie and never could watch it on (color) TV for very long, but was familiar with the "legend" of the guy who pretended to be a pilot. As someone who racked up 600 hours with my private license, I can't imagine anyone who has flown not recognizing a "poser" fairly quickly, but 50% of professionals graduated at the bottom half of their class, I suppose.
Thank you for closure on a very long con by this reprobate. Maybe that toilet escape in the movie was a metaphor for the crap that was being put out overall on these lies...and sadly the money that can be made from well meaning suckers....including movie goers and even engineers at a conference.
Interesting!
You have discovered the essence of way too many corporate meetings. Many are great and effective. But far too many have speakers or "Experts" who really do not know that much but are really effective at getting those gigs. Style over substance.
@@richardhoff1626 Good point. Even at conferences, it would seem, the organizers want to be like the protagonist in the movie "Gladiator"...at the end, they want people to cheer when they are asked "Are you not Entertained ???"
You spotted the "toilet escape from an airliner" story as utter bullshit also? I was surprised that wasn't brought up right away, there were "movie goof" web sites even in 2002!
I've had a similar encounter with Jesse Duplantis
Now Spielberg can make "Catch Me if You Can 2" based on this :D
That would be one heck of a movie 😂
Now I have doubts about Close Encounters being made up too…
😂😂😂
No,that's 100% true,except for the name changes and pretending Frank Abagnale wasn't flying the UFO.
They're all liars
Rumor has it, after escaping through the airline toilet, he started a show called Blue Man Group.
😂😂😂
😂
POO Man Group?
😂😂
I remember looking this up in 2021 on a slow day at work and going down the rabbit hole, even finding the same pics of that Delta Flight Attendant from Baton Rouge. In an interview with her, she claimed he got her work schedule by simply asking the administration for it. Also read that when the author of the book called the prisons in Europe, they were astounded because they claimed that he was the first person to ever contact to verify! There were people in the 80s who tried to expose the truth, but were hushed quickly because people were making money on the "good story."
The best reason for seeing that movie is Christopher Walken’s performance. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
I still use the phrase "pinstripes" to this day because of his performance.
I thought it was comical. I use "Tahiti/Hawaii" to this day.
"Where ya goin, Frank? Somewhere exotic?" @@catholicdad
@@mleone77see, you just made me laugh
Seinfeld Police: How do U live with yourself?
George: It ain't easy!! OR
: On top of a bed FULL of money!!😂
As my old boss used to say, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story". This is what made Hollywood, and most of our politicians, rich and famous.
Sounds a lot like my old man. He was a small time grifter right to the end, scamming anyone in his orbit. My mom's mother had him pegged from the beginning and said he would steal the pennies from a dead man's eyes. He groomed one of my brothers well to follow in his footsteps. At least I have a very keen sense of scammers as a result. He cleaned out my 'piggy bank' when I was 6 or 7 years old.
a regular Rockefeller
Thank you for revealing this, I never believed it happened but had a sick feeling that maybe somehow it did. What a relief to find out the truth! Some people are unable to tell the truth. I believe he is one of them!
THE FBI doesn't get involved over 10 checks this guy is crazy
A relief? Lol dude, relax
He didn't reveal anything. He made a video about someone else's book.
I first heard of Frank back in 1993 when a friend of mine played a tape from a Church appearance that he had done. Talked about how he had repented, etc, etc.
I called BS on a lot of his story back then because I've worked in the medical field and it doesn't matter what degree a person has, the interview process to get ANY job would require extensive medical knowledge. They would have found him out in under five minutes.
I trust traveling preachers about as much as I trust traveling salesmen. Too many frauds posing as the real deal.
But then, I've also met (the too few) preachers who are real. Yet their very existence provides cover to arseholes as much as it provides shelter to the vulnerable against the storms of life...
If there is any lesson to be learned here, it's that real people form bonds serving in their local community, real people don't serve some "big picture" YOU are simply unable to perceive.
There are still good people "out there"... probably just down the street where they have always been.
...still working at being one myself...
I too received a tape at a church meeting, and listened to it over and over. I found the story to be fascinating, but so over the top as to make it suspicious. To think that he was ‘fleecing’ flocks of religious folks makes his tale even worse! I’m so disappointed to hear the real story, but thanks for sharing the truth about this guy!
In UK there was a hospital senior doctor who had no qualifications, it happens
So what youre telling me is the greatest scammer in history, isnt even a scammer as he scammed the whole world into believing that he is a scammer?
...
Im not even mad, Im impressed.
My husband was at a work sponsered event in Louisville, KY around 2000 or 2001. Abagnale was a guest speaker at the event. My husband came home from the event telling me all about it and Abanale’s story and that a movie was going to be released about him. I remember thinking "he’s still conning people", as I was highly skeptical. I have since learned my intuition was correct!
Glad you didn't vote for Trump or your nation's equivalent.
Notice how many people could have been spared if this guy had been imprisoned instead of being treated lightly. For example the one-dollar bail, and the undeserved probation sentence
Very true! And maybe it started at home.
He stole over (in today's money) $34,000 from his own father. And the dad goes easy on him.
If your child stole $34,000 from you, what would you do? Tough call. Would he learn a hard lesson, or would he get off easy because he's your son? 🤔
Thats because hes white, if he was black, he'd still be in jail
I worked in a bank for a couple of years in south Florida in the early 2000s. Half the books in the training center there were written by him.
I remember hearing a lecture of his back in 1982 and read his book. At the time, I thought this was incredible and for me part, tried to fact check some of his claims. Remember this was pre-Internet by over a decade ago. I tried to find support that Ken Dixon from the New York Times wrote about Frank and dubbed him “Skyway Man”. There were no microfiche articles on this of any kind whatsoever which raised my suspicions. Then I read the book and thought there must be corroboration at least somewhere. Nothing. Oh yeah, one other thing. He claimed to be bilingual in English and French and his accent and pronunciation is terrible. Not the accent of someone who is fluent in French and I know something about that. I suspected this back in 1982 and perhaps when the Spielberg film came out, that provided some credibility. Frank is very smart and if nothing else, a creative storyteller
Excellent point. Early in the film, his first "con", more of a prank, since he didn't like going to a public high school after his parents lost their prestigious New Rochelle home, in wake of Frank Sr's financial reverse, and IRS troubles, and had to move into a humble apartment, he poses as a substitute French teacher, because, well, with a French MOTHER, presumably he'd understand French, right? Except that w/o either being in some tight local community of French-Americans (or transplanted Quebecois), he's not going to use his French all that much, and so would lose it over time. The movie has his French grandmother only coming over to help her daughter in wake of the divorce, which, assuming she's Catholic, makes her a pariah as then French society didn't recognize divorce (it's a sin in the Catholic Church), even though the 1792 Revolution had made it legal. So Frank obviously has little contact with his French relatives, and therefore, less exposure to the language. IDK that even he understood being truly "bilingual", he made have known a lot of French words, but w/o opportunity to USE it, he'd get "rusty" at it.
This was the experience of the Soviet V-VS MiG-25 pilot that escaped with his fighter plane from the Soviet Far East to Japan in 1976. He had a few years of English in high school, it was actually required then in where he attended. But he was a RUSSIAN, and obviously that was his native language. After Viktor Belenko was granted asylum in the USA, his English improved quite a bit, until he spoke it with barely any Slavic accent. However, he had relatively few Russian speakers to regularly converse with, and had to exercise care in circulating with the Russian-American community as it was known there were KGB "moles" therein, and even the Russian Mob would have liked to profit by an unofficial bounty on his head. It was after the collapse of the Soviet Union that Belekno could come out of his assumed identity without fear of retaliation, which, by then, his command of the Russian language had actually slipped! It was only the ability to more freely associate with Russians, especially in a local church, that he regained his fluency.
The book may be a complete work of fiction, but it's still a really engaging read. They should just move it from the autobiography section to the fiction section😂
E.T. probably made his story up too.
No opinion hasn’t changed one bit . Well if anything he’s kind of a better con man than we first thought him to be 😂😂🤣
Well done Frank 🤘🤣🤣😂
I read is book years ago and thought it was total bs, thanks for setting the record straight
*his
ok but how do you know the other book "disproving" franks story isnt also bs?
Yep, me too...just seemed too sensationalistic.
Worked with a guy who used to be his personal assistant. Apparently Frank was pretty shiesty. I know we saw that from the movie, but the parts they left out were even worse. In one of his heists- he perched outside of a bank that was unexpectedly closed due to an issue with the building. He posed as a bank employee, and took everyone’s checks that came to the bank. . he cashed all those payroll checks and pocketed the money.
@@Look_What_You_Did You don't need to sign over cash checks. The bearer of the check can get cash for it, no questions asked. I assume the people left the cash with him and he was suppose to deposit it into their bank accounts.
@@MrAkaaceryou have to sign the back, otherwise it has to be deposited into the person’s account whose name it’s made out to.
@@robfromvan It's pretty easy to find a pen. All he had to do was sign the person's name, then write "pay to the order of so-and-so" below the signature in order to transfer the check to himself. This was a time when there wasn't a lot of cross checking going on. And a payroll check wouldn't hold any account information for the recipient. They still don't.
@robfromvan nah. You don't write it out to a person. You simply write CASH on the check. Had a few old timers write checks like that to me before. Never understood it. It's a check already... I can cash or deposit it. Why risk not writing MY name on it.
I worked as a bank teller when I was in college, starting in 1999. Part of the training on check fraud was watching a video of him talking about his exploits. Total con man, I guess. He lied about his crimes, though he was a criminal, and then lied about being reformed.
In a way, he didn't "lie"...he gave you a firsthand example of a practiced con artist.
But, if Abagnale's advice on check forging methods and how to spot them were useful ,then your employer got what was paid for.
if he made a video talking about exploits isn't that the definition of being reformed? You can't really expect someone who lied to get free air rides across the globe to never lie again.
@@picketf The definition of being reformed? Not hardly. First of all, you have no idea of whether he was even being honest about his check forging techniques. And, second of all, extending your grift by getting paid to glorify it is hardly a definition of being reformed.
@@chuckschillingvideos You might be right. It's just that in the criminal world talking about exploits is a very very rare thing, more so in the past when he started spilling the beans. Then again he might not be a criminal in the sense that his endeavours were all premeditated and all. It's much more likely he's just a swindler, a manic liar that just made everything up on the spot, so it's hard to say on which side he is at the moment.
Did you work for Wells Fargo? it would make sense on training you how to scam customers!
Its not the only story Spielberg lied about ... Shindlers List known from the book as Shindlers Ark, also won literary prizes for "Best Fiction".Hollywood will lie about anything for a dollar !
Considering WHO "runs" Holly-Weed, RU surprised?
So now they need to make a sequel about how his story and book and movie was a lie? 😂
I remember seeing the movie after reading the book and being disappointed that they had changed, added or removed so many elements. But now I'm even angrier knowing that even the book was a bunch of BS. Once a conman, always a conman.
You said at the beginning that Steven Spielberg knew it was not true, but I missed that bit in the video.
You're surprised that the "esteemed" director wouldn't spew a load of bullshit. This from a man of whose one most famous movie franchise purports that the Nazis could deploy a company-sized army guard detachment at a famous archeological site in 1936 Egypt, right under not only THEIR noses but also the UK, and, a bit later, have a SUB PEN in the Aegean Sea on some Greek island, which would have come as a helluva shock to the Royal Navy, as well as the Greeks and/or Turks! Such things as how various German/Arab "mooks" got a hold of an M1940 "Machhinenpistolen" in the same year, four years EARLIER than first issued, or how Indy grabbed a SOVIET-made RPG, first issued in 1947, are but "minor" problems in a movie, which, while VERY entertaining, is completely full of SHIT.
Spielberg is a scumbag Hollywood mogul
Yep, I missed it too, although the toilet escape fabrication means that Spielberg had to know at least that bit was untrue, and while he would argue it was poetic license, considering the entire premis was about a conman's true story, I would suggest that fabricating that escape makes Spielberg complicit in the real con.
Just like Goodfellas. We will never know the true story.
Aaaannd this is proof that the education system is failing. It evidently does _not_ teach students to be discerning readers; to not blindly believe everything that they read or watch.
We liked the movie so much, we bought a DVD of it. We found out the DVD was a pirated copy. The irony!
You stole from the conman. This reminds of when we had peer to peer mp3 sharing software. I used Kazaa and I used Kazaa to download Kazaa pro which eliminated ads and improved transfer speeds. I think Kazaa even got annoyed people were pirating their software.
You should have "paid" for it with a phony check or a counterfeit bank note!
Sounds like Frank has a mountain of charm, genius and stories, and a pebble of trustworthiness and honesty.
Polite people dont just call people liars, and con men bank on that.
Like all conmen (and women!)they rely on your stupidity and/or your gullibility to weave their spell.
The only person you should really feel anger or pity for is yourself.
Grow a brain!
in other words, a con artist
This was excellent, absolutely fascinating - thanks for posting and keep up the good work❤
I thought it was common knowledge that Abignale's story was false. When a man who admits that he is a consummate liar tells you a fantastical, far fetched story, then there's a very good chance that his story is.... made up. Are people really unable to connect the dots? lol.
Shit I do now ……😅
What this video failed to uncover is the fact that Frank Abignale actually played himself in the movie by convincing Spielberg that he was Leo DiCaprio! 😮😂
Did that really happen?
@@psplayer1344 No, he had a bit part as a Frog cop.
Do you LIE much in daily life, too ?!?
lol
@@warriormanmaxx8991everything on the internet is true, as is everything on TV too.
Abagnale's fees for speaking about his alleged life story are reported to be between $20,000 and $30,000.
Someone oughta write him a bad check
Perhaps his biggest scam of all, since he is completely ignorant of what constitutes modern security practices.
In the South, we have a saying: "Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story."
South of where?
@@uncled39that’s a dumb question 😂😂😂😂
Years ago I saw His presentation in which he tells his story. He was very entertaining and polished yarn.
Thanks for keeping up the story about how escaping an aeroplane through the toilet can't be done.
Back in the 80’s I heard a radio program where Frank told his tale; it was amazing, fantastical and hard to believe. However, his very public claim to have worked for the FBI, gave the story a de facto seal of authenticity. I assumed that if it weren’t true, wouldn’t the FBI shut him down and expose the lie?
Maybe he DID "work" for the FBI, although probably not as a civil servant in an 8:30 to 5:00 desk job, with one hour for lunch. You think he always worked ALONE? Judging by this guy's lack of character, I'd say he ratted out whatever accomplices he had, and they weren't too happy about it. The FBI normally doesn't talk the details about its informers and advisers.
He was a consultant to the FBI.
no, the FBI would not. The bureau has a long and unsavory history of lies and coverups.
@@visaman he never worked for the FBI, that is another claim that has been proven false
The fact that so many people believed his outlandish story shows how gullible our society is.
If people weren't gullible, there won't be con-artists to take advantage of these stupid people.
Johnny Carson was one of them .
Agree..... I've lost faith in most people s judgements
We WANT to believe an outrageous story, even when common sense should cause us to be dubious. Who'd not want to believe they could have banged Amy Adams and Jennier Garner in their respective primes?
What a waste of a life, Mr. Abanale would have had a great life as a politician.
Thank GOD he was never a politician 😮
He definitely fits the mold of a politician
@@mangos2888 Agreed. Just being a petty con man and grifter, he did less harm. Hell, even though most of the movie is BS, it was a damned good 'yarn'.
How is this a waste of a life,
Is it he now worth millions?
So, he ripped off Ferdinand Demara, The Great Imposter, played by Tony Curtis in the movie of the same name in 1961
I read his book in the late 80's after hearing him on a radio interview. It was an introduction to a world I never knew. Jumpseats on planes, passing the Bar on your own, running a hospital floor, teaching at a university, getting laid with bad checks. He spoke with such humility and assurance. I was drawn in by the blue baby story, and the Louisiana State Bar story. I doubted the veracity in situations of the book, but I thought, "This is a non-fiction published book. Fact checkers go over all the details." How naive I was. How naive we all were. Con men use the credibility of others to enhance their own, and I trusted the source. After all, the interview was on a news reporting station!!! Wow, he really knew how to dupe us.
He must have had family who were politicians. Left or Right, doesn't matter they are uni-party cons.
😂😂😂
abignale was exposed shortly after his appearance on carson
but the story was only printed in the sf chron
no national news agency picked up on it
so frank was able to continue running his con
I was looking for someone referencing Scanner Darkly in the comments here and see this! PKD would have definitely read about that!
@@hithere4719wait, what's the PKD connection?
He's interviewed in an old book about personality disorders called "The Self Seekers", and comes across as extremely pleased with himself as a con artist. Far cry from the sob story retellings of his life he started giving to audiences in later years.
Your cassey Kasem impersonation had me. Felt like I was listening to the top 40 lol
I love this :D just goes to show, be skeptical!
I watched the movie and wondered why PanAm’s lawyers never went after him
"You cannot get blood out of a turnip."
(1) He's probably figured out how to shield his assets from seizure.
(2) How much DID he actually steal from PanAm? Given that his "airline pilot" career is well, dubious, so is probably the amounts that he stole from PanAm. Please keep in mind that the airline went belly up in the 1990s, not necessarily due to Abagnale's theft, but the receiver can do only so much to try to recover their losses...if they went to court and got a judgement against him. I have no idea what restitution the Federal and State courts imposed upon him. I'd say that by the time Abagnale actually had anything worth pursuing, Pan Am had bigger problems.
I read his book in 1980, I got sucked right in. The movie only did about 25% of what was written.
This guy is crazy the fbi doesn't get involved over 10 checks
I was today years old when I found out there was a book. Must read!
@@deliawebster2142it's pretty interesting. Most big movies were books. Forrest Gump, for example.
Good story and topic! I've known that about Abagnale for a long time. He's been embellishing his exploits since the start.
And it's hilarious. Are we not entertained?
I started to watch the movie for the first time last week. Early in the film I was looking up Hanratty to see if he was really the detective who was chasing Abignale. That's when I discovered that the whole story was a lie. That's when I turned the movie off. Thanks for the real story.
Carl Hanratty was just an undercover name for the real agent, Joseph (“Joe”) Gerald Shea
FIY: There are probably too many to count the number of movies: "based on a true story"
&
"based on the best selling book by _____".
When in reality the only thing that is actually fact based is the title of the book.
So what.
I cannot believe they couldn't do background checks back then just because *no internet.*
So Mr. Abagnale, where were you incarcerated? What police department handled your last arrest? Names? Ok, lemme just make a coupla phonecalls.
Midway through viewing, see, they just had to make a few phonecalls but the tv networks weren't interested in fact checking.
They had a great con- storyteller and people loved hearing his stories.
Exactly, there was a way to check the truth in the Roman Empire 2000 years ago. I mean we have written documents how is that worked. It doesn't matter what kind of tools we have, internet, phone, telegraph or just a guy with a letter.
I learned awhile ago after learning the truth about the film “Brian’s Song” that just about every Hollywood movie based on a true story is mostly Hollywood “fluff” and really just loosely based on an actual person(s) but not necessarily based on the events (not most anyway) that take place in the film. In the movie Brian’s Song, Brian Piccolo & Gale Sayers were depicted as inseparable best friends when in actuality they were just friends, not best friends and most, not all, of the events in that film never took place. So this information about about Frank’s story certainly is no shock to me but rather expected.
As portrayed in the movie, Brian was a racist too
The biggest garbage movie was Argo .
15:15. I'm glad you mentioned the toilet escape in the movie. That's what rankled me as to the validity of the whole spiel, because I know that's impossible. There can't be any direct access from the cabin to the outside unless it's via a door there is no access from any toilet to the cargo hold also. Even if you somehow got into the hold, I don't think you can open the doors from the inside.
Right it would have to be a pressurized separation.
@@randallkohn6089 I should have mentioned that the waste water tank is also directly beneath the toilets (both sides). So if you remove the toilet what you see is a big sturdy tank of nasty stuff which gets pumped out on the ground.
Yes. However in Flight of the Zombies There was access to cargo through a hatch on the floor. Once in cargo Frank can search the bags for a chequebook and expensive cologne. I’m not talking about Hai Karate. I mean the expensive cologne.
Agreed it is impossible to exit an aircraft via a toilet nor a cargo hold door from the inside. All aircraft that I have worked on you could only open the cargo hold from the outside. In the book, Abignale said he escaped from a BAC VC10. There is a route that he could have used to escape from a VC10. I was an RAF aircraft engineer and spent 11 years on the VC10. This is the route he could have used. The forward galley floor has an access to the radio rack bay below the galley. The radio rack bay has two doors. One door accesses the forward cargo bay where it is impossible to open the forward cargo door from the inside. The other door / hatch is in the floor of the radio rack bay and can be opened from the inside but only if the aircraft is depressurized. It is big enough for a person to get through and is only about a meter of the ground. It is perfectly feasable to drop through the hatch even if the aircraft is taxying. The hatch though does have a warning light to alert the crew if the hatch is not closed properly but he would have exited the aircraft long before the light could be investigated. I have used the reversed route many times to enter the VC10 when I could not acces via the main doors.
@@gould571 Then Abagnale and Agent Hanratty would have been flying to NY-JFK on then BOAC (British Airways), and Frank had been arrested by the French police. Presumably Hanratty got his prisoner moved on a flight to London-Heathrow, where they changed planes to the VC 10.
The point was, this route of escape from an airliner was highly improbable, even in 1970.
Wait, so the FBI has neither confirmed, nor denied this story?? Right. And all of our aources are from the author of this book trying to debunk everything??
Are we getting double conned...
Sounds like someone needs to fact check this video lol
the video is wrong dw
The worst is that Google removed all comments on the video of him giving a speech at their headquarters. They wanted to keep the video up and not let people inform anyone that it was all lies.
"A lie can get half way around the world before the truth can pull on its pants" (attribution uncertain)
Sounds like something Mark Twain would have said. Not certain, of course :)
I heard it stated as the truth is still putting on its shoes
@@shaggybreeks Yes, Mark Twain. Though it's shoes not pants, but that's okay, same thing.
Commonly attributed to Winston Churchill. While he did say it, I'd be surprised if the saying originated with him. Not only was he a very well-read, educated man, while PM (twice), he had a staff of awesome speech writers. However, few probably said it, and other things more ELOQUENTLY, than did Winston.
@@selfdo Delivery is everything - which is also true of the subject of this video. Unfortunately "delivery" is so often taken as the whole rather than its content.
Nothing unusual about this. Hollywood never did let the facts get in the way of a good story.
As an aviation lover i never believed the aviation side of his stories. I was always interested in his check cashing scams and how he helpd create the security stuff check and credit card companies use even today. What a POS he should have to repay all those ppl that paid to see his speeches. Thanks for this Magnus!
I was always skeptical as well. I gather he did take a few deadhead flights, but I've always doubted he flew nearly as many miles that way as he claimed. I just don't know how a non-pilot could spend that much time in the cockpit with actual pilots, and not give himself away. Sooner or later, I would think, one of the real pilots would start talking about something technical and work related, and ask him questions he couldn't answer, and then start to get suspicious.
Having seen two of his speeches in the span of a month at professional conferences, I disagree that he should repay those how paid to hear him. Instead, every cent he earned from them should be diverted to his victims as restitution.
@@johnwhite5485 I like you're idea better!
Paula's li'l plan certainly backfired spectacularly! 😬
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
I’m a 71yo Veteran and A Retired Corporate Pilot. I Definitely Remember Frank!! He Was My Idle For His Ability To Pull This Off! I lived in NYC and Would See The PAN AM Aircraft Flying Over My House Everyday.
When The Story Came Out The Kids On my Block Would Go To The Roof And YELL… “Go Frank Go.”😊
Just a few hours ago I saw him on Facebook shorts telling people not to use debit cards. I didn't see the movie. Haven't watched many movies since I whip lashed my neck in 1988. Can't sit that long without the neck pain starting. I was an FBI file clerk in 1975 and they will confirm that fact to anyone that inquires. How he's got away with it for this long is amazing.
Wait what's wrong with using debit cards? It's just a little card that uses money that you already have, you cant charge stuff like a credit card
@@billblaski9523 historically, most debit cards have not offered the same fraud protections as credit cards. You might still be held liable for the full amount of a fraudulent charge made on your debit card, whereas most credit cards have limits to the consumer’s liability.
I understand that is starting to change as debit cards remain popular.
@@billblaski9523Because if it's money you already have, you're on the hook for it.
@@billblaski9523the downside to debt cards is when it comes to fraud and i suppose every bank has different policies. Credit cards usually have a zero liability towards fraud. But debit cards might hold you responsible. At wells Fargo for example.. last time i looked it said you had to report frauds within 24 hours of it happening. Well you may not even know about it that fast.
Debit card is your money...credit is the banks. Let a scammer take the banks money not yours
Excuse me, Captain. This may sound silly, but can you fly? Nope, never had a lesson!
Love that scene.
Clint Eastwood, the "Airline Pilot" who can't tell a compass heading, unless its 357 degrees !
@@psalm2forliberty577 44, not 357
"never forgot the Floyd case, Got them with an an ax in rush hour How about some cream pie?"
We all have temptations to do bad things. Some people seem to give in to that temptation more than others. But, we’re all human, right? But then there are people like this guy. He is what I call a “bad Apple.” Shows no signs of a moral compass. Despite consequences, he still does everything he can in order to deceive and get money. No remorse. No conscience. There is no truth in him. And I doubt he will ever know the truth.
Actually, people like him are called sociopaths!
You just described Donald Trump. 😂
And George Santos!
And Joe Biden.
I never watched the movie because it seemed too incredulous. Plus I can't stand DeCaprio. He's just a crappy actor.
No kidding? This whole thing was a hoax? but they made a documentary about it too, right?
I remember that movie with Leonardo DeCaprio.
I fell for it.
I just saw the movie about a month ago and thought the whole time that it seemed quite fanciful and not possible. I assumed that there were many liberties taken by the script writer but it appears that most of the liberties were actually taken by Mr. Abignale himself.
I actually used this movie to have a talk with my kids about people with no moral compass. Anyone who starts that young will be unethical forever - so watch out! Usually they start smaller since today they can't do what Frank claimed
Maximus, you asked for topics a while back…I really enjoy hearing military pilot/aviator stories, about incidents that may have slipped by the public purview. Such as the one you made a few weeks ago, in which the Marine assisted local PD with a “borrowed” helo.
🍻
Thank you for producing this. Glad to know the truth, in some of his interviews he changed some of the information. If you detect one lie from someone, it won't be the only one coming your way...
To quote Garek on Star Trek DS9: " it's all true... Especially the lies."
Anyone expecting Hollywood to deliver a story factually is already in too deep. It's even more incredible when the facts are easily accessible - such as Disney's Secretariat - Sure they got the horse stuff right, but the family was not in any financial danger - just written that way for effect. This is just another example why Hollywood should stay away from 'Based on reality' because that is the thinnest of lies.
Hollywood spelled his name correctly. The rest is fiction. Really good fiction.
What part of "based on reality" are you not understanding? Secretariat existed, just as Milan High School existed and countless other "based on a true story" stories. As they said in Life of Pi, "the story with animals is a better story."
@@mikebronicki8264 Before you bust an artery: The Family was NOT in any financial danger. That's called Drama.
@@terrylandess6072 in Hoosiers the coach was a fired college coach and he hired an alcoholic as his assistant. In reality coach Wood was 24, his previous experience was at French Lick high school and there were no alcoholics involved. Yes, it is called drama.
Seems to me that this video actually proves Abagnale’s story. The specifics were exaggerated and changed for the movie, but the underlying story is true.
It proved he was a con-man, but no one disputed that.
No. Nearly everything he said happened - didn't. It's "stolen valor" - conman edition.
@@GregConquest He stole checks and a uniform. He never became a lawyer, never pretended to be a doctor and served 3 different prison terms which were never mentioned in the movie. Not exactly checking every box there.
@@johnd5398 That's what I said. Nearly everything he said happened - didn't (really happen).
@@GregConquest Nor did he bang Jennifer Garner in her friggin' prime and con HER out of $400. But Frank probably did charm a few "lookers" when he was a "yute". As long as they were just skanky hos, no matter how well-dressed and "classy" they looked.
I saw an interview with Abagnales and the interviewer believed every word even though the guy's whole schtick is that he's a very good liar. Very good stories btw, the guy should do stand-up.
I feel sorry for people that have to make a movie based on a lie, and call it based on a true story! And it was 💩 none of it was true..
I read his book in the '80s when I was in highschool. What we know for sure is that Abagnale was a master at forgery. His book tells details all the tricks he used in defrauding banks all over the world. Now whether he infact used the jump seat or passed the bar could very well be fictional. Abagnale was on the FBI's most wanted list for forgery. They searched for him all over the world...
He was eventually caught and did time in prison. Upon release Frank was hired by the people he had been defrauding, he changed how banks and companies made their checks...
He did all his forgery and globetrotting in the '70s ,a time when it was much easier to make fake documents... It's still a fascinating story even if some of the "intersting" parts were made up...
None of that is true as well xD
Thanks for relating the REAL Frank Abagnale tale, Maximus. Now I am suspicious about the real Maximus Aviation saga.