Steven Spielberg film ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, is based on the real-life story of Frank Abagnale, a renowned con artist who is still alive today.
Released in 2002, the movie features DiCaprio, then best known for Titanic, in the leading role. This collaboration with the famous director became a true breakthrough for the actor. He embodied the character of Frank Abagnale, a genius swindler who, in the 1960s, before even turning 20, expertly impersonated a pilot, doctor, lawyer, and professor. Tom Hanks played the FBI agent who hunted him for years.
Although the film takes some creative liberties, its plot largely reflects real events. After years of fraud, mostly involving forged checks, Abagnale was arrested in France. Following an escape and subsequent recapture in France, he was extradited first to Sweden and then to the United States. In 1971, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. However, just five years later, the U.S. government offered him a deal: to assist the FBI in fighting financial crimes in exchange for his freedom.
Frank Abagnale Today
The film ends here, but Abagnale’s real story continued. After his release, unable to find work due to his criminal record, he decided to use his experience to earn an honest living. He began consulting for banks on security and fraud prevention and later founded his own company, which successfully sold solutions to combat check forgery. This brought him a multimillion-dollar fortune.
After the movie’s release, many people began to doubt the accuracy of Frank Abagnale’s story. Under public pressure, he admitted that Spielberg’s version is “about 80% accurate.” Interestingly, his relationship with the FBI agent who pursued him was real, even though Tom Hanks’s character is a composite figure. Abagnale said, “Oh yes, his real name is Joseph Shea, and we’ve remained in touch over the years, and he’s gotten to see me turn my life around and watch my children grow up.”
Abagnale has also written several books about his experience with fraud and continues to work, collaborating with the U.S. government, but, according to him, without compensation. He firmly believes that the best way to fight financial crime is not punishment, but prevention.
