Do Go On - 43 - Frank Abagnale Jr.
Episode Date: August 17, 2016This week, Jess dips into the suggestion hat to tell the story of the con artist who inspired the film Catch Me If You Can. There's fraud, fake names and a lot of lying! Twitter: @DoGoOnPodI...nstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: dogoonpod@gmail.comSupport the show and get rewards like bonus episodes:www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Hey everybody, Jess and Dave, just jumping in really quickly at the top here to make sure
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Now is the time, mycomputercareer.edu. Alright, let's do it hello and welcome to do go up.
I think on this episode I might kick it off if it's okay with you.
And welcome to do FloloemLot, honey.
Oh, so back to me.
DoGo on, my name is Dave Warnicki.
You've already heard from Matt Stewart's stuffing up
the intro of the Hello, Matt.
And welcome to DoGo home.
Great, good picking up there.
And just Perkins, been a while since you've done your own intro,
but we'll have a crack. OK, you know, I don't like it when you put me on the spot, but okay, here we go.
Um, I just want to say I haven't had time for a hit, and it's cold, so my voice isn't really warmed up, and um...
Not as easy as I make it sound, I really like it.
Oh, I've had a long day, but here we go, okay.
Look at her...
Diffling...
God...
I'm gonna have to take her off. Diffling, I'm gonna... Dooh flim, goooood. Dooh flim, goooood.
I think you do goooood.
Right, I'm gonna grab the reins back off both of you.
Hello, it is time to do go on with us Dave, Matt and Jess.
Your face is creepy right now.
Hello, everybody. Welcome to do go on.
Dooh. I'm your host, Matt.
I'm your other host, who's working.
I'm gonna call an end to this straightaway
and ask how you both are. I thought I'm going to call an into this straightaway and ask how
you both are.
As hostess did go on a doctor that you
know that I'm having a good time.
As a host of meds on this
comedy slash factual podcast to go on,
I'd also like to wish that I just get
a lose with Perkins a second to also
do a pretty well today. Thank you for
asking.
Do you go on? to you, Dave?
Thank you, thank you very much.
I'm actually very scared of asking either of you to do go on at this stage because it looks
like I will be carrying this episode.
Which is great because it's my episode.
I know, it's not even me doing a report on a topic, it's Jess's You.
Yeah, it is me, you're welcome, you're just going to...
And then in a summer...
Oh no.
It's going to be great. I cannot wait, I cannot wait. You're welcome. You're just going to... And then in the... Oh no. It's going to be great.
I cannot wait. I cannot wait.
You prepared a report.
I have prepared a report.
Because it does end a little bit like you said a report.
She's at the wrong work.
I do. I said, so good.
I prepared it.
You see that?
Oh!
Got it.
What a time to be alive.
I feel like you're stalling here.
Jess, have you actually written a report?
Have you got have you have you chosen a topic from the hat? I have
Jesus bloody dipped into the hat. I was like hey Matt take that hat off I got a dip on it and he was like you better be quick Jess because it's winter and I got put on
Hat to keep my body got it. She was elbow deep in my hat. Yeah
Well, well you would want your hat at the moment because your hair cut today Matt,
do you, did you notice your ears were a bit colder?
Yeah, a little fresher on the ears.
Mm-hmm.
You know, in this August summer breeze,
what's August is, what's seasonally?
It's winter here.
Winter, August is winter, spring happens after that.
That's right, that's right, very good.
September's next month and that's spring time. Okay. And spring is sprung. All right. that that's right that's right very good September next month and that's springtime okay spring and sprung all right is
all right yeah but that's right but September October no
November spring December interestingly it's when summer hits you're kidding
no not what why would I fuck with you on this? I never would, Jess. Seasons are important, and if you're not going to take them seriously,
well then you can get up and fuck off.
Okay?
Look, I don't know, I don't even know, like you're giggling away in the corner there,
and that says to me that you're not taking my words very seriously.
And if that's the case, well, and that hurts my feelings.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I will never not take the season
seriously.
I know how important the seasons are to you.
And we had that big seasons party last year,
where everybody came dressed as their favorite season.
And you had season themed snacks.
I came as season two of the O.C.
What a high life
You saved that really well you really did oh
Boy we have fun here
But anyway back to you just talking about your report. Yes, so we always start with a question, right? Yes
Okay, Matt, have you got your buzz ready? Oh
Sure, let's let's test the buzzers
Oh, he's got a bit of a run-up which is cute. Okay
Here we go. So my question to you voices only both both poised they're ready to go hands on buzzers
Who is the most successful con artist?
Matt
He might get it wrong Nicholas J Johnson
Like Melvin con man and all time all around fun time guy. Okay. I have not done my report on Nicholas J Johnson
or around front-time guy. Okay, I have not done my report on Nicholas J Johnson.
One half of Jones Town.
Dave, would you like to submit your answer?
Okay, you didn't actually do the buzz, but yes Dave.
I'm sorry thinking, but it's fun.
Just a safe.
Yes Dave.
Con the Frudera.
Con the Frudera, an excellent answer.
Incorrect.
I bet you'll probably get that if you're above 30
and an Australian for the list of okay
Like we're not above 30 and we get it so but I'm a childhood
Matt
Condolee Sir Rice. Condolee Sir Rice. Also a very good answer. Unfortunately not the correct answer
What's the question again? My successful con
Dave Dave Constantine stunner's love ski you get that if you have been to drama school
Which why didn't go drama school? I was drama captain. Who's who?
Stunner's love skis. Of course. I said it's gonna. So skis work
Pretty good with Moscow, I theater. It's worthy of a report which I might do one day
Well, actually that was a suggestion somebody has said your favorite theatre practitioner. Oh, definitely not my favorite, but anyway, Matt. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz anything. I could not think of another constellation. I genuinely don't think I
know any. I can't think of it apart from
Nickless J Johnson. I don't know anyone.
Well I wonder if this name will ring a bell. Have you heard of the work of Frank
Abagnale Jr.
Oh that's a Glee rings a bell.
Frank Abing Nail. Abing Nail.
Abig. Abig. Abig. A-B-A-G.
Abagnale. Abagnale. Abagnale. Well first of all he's condos into pronouncing his name wrong. A big A-B-A-G A-B-N-I-L
Well, first of all, he's condescending his name wrong.
He's pretty good. He's on the ball.
Have you maybe heard of the 2002 Leonardo DiCaprio film Catch Me If You Can?
Yes, I have.
Very good. Are you going to do that before every sentence?
The length gets his man in the end, or does he? I can't remember. Spoiler alert.
Yeah I can't. So is that who the movie is based on? Is that who the movie is based on?
Ah very cool because that's a cool movie that I saw at the cinema with my dad but I haven't seen
since it was a long time ago. Yeah I haven't seen it since and I was thinking the other day that I
remember they were wearing smart suits and planes were flown. I really wanted to watch it, and then I thought,
no, I'm not gonna watch it before I do the report
because then I'll be swayed by the film.
And I'll put things into my report based on the film.
Holy wood store.
Yeah, and that's not, you know, it's a film.
Holy wood has a lot to answer for.
It's a great bloody story.
And what it has to answer for is the entertainment
of a generation.
Thank you, Hollywood.
Now, I'm interested in who suggested this topic.
This was suggested to us via email by Ryan.
Thank you Ryan.
Excellent suggestion Ryan.
Ryan who?
Just Ryan.
Just Ryan.
Oh very mysterious.
Almost like he's some sort of con man.
Has he got our credit card details now?
Our joint because we have pulled out accounts.
The dude going credit card obviously. Yeah we have pulled out the do go in credit card
Obviously, yeah, we've pulled our accounts every every money you make outside of the podcast
I am entitled to my third. What do you spend the do go on money? Which works out well for us mainly feathers
Good I collected a wider array of
Mythical birds feathers
Mythical birds feathers? Wait, did you pull feathers?
Little birds.
Mythical birds feathers.
I think I may have been caught any.
I think I may have been caught.
Okay.
He may have been, yeah.
One of them cost $10,000.
That's two.
I mean, that's too many dollars for...
I mean, even if you pulled all of our money together,
I'm not sure if you're buying a $10,000 dollar feather.
Well, speak for yourself.
Because I have spent the money.
Okay, great.
We're paying it off.
Oh, sure boy. Okay, well, in the meantime it off. Oh, shit. Oh boy. Okay.
Well, in the meantime, maybe I will just tell you the story of Frank Abignaudry.
How about that?
Yeah, that would be good.
Please do go on.
I am.
I like it.
I think, because I couldn't name a con man, but I think the story...
I like the idea of a con man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and this is quite a fascinating story too.
So, I think you will enjoy this one.
So, Rae is just north of New York City in Westchester County, New York, he was born in 1948 and he was one of four children.
His parents divorced when he was 16 and they'd kept it a secret from from Frank and his siblings.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, they kept it a secret. Is it only 16? Is he still living with them?
Oh yeah, he's still living with them but what I mean is like the fact that they were getting a divorce,
they'd sort of kept secrets. So the kids didn't really know that the parents were unhappy and going to get a divorce.
So lying runs in the family.
Exactly.
It's in the blood.
I like it.
When he was in the 10th grade, a teacher at his school took him out of class, handed him
his things and told him that one of the brothers, because it was a Catholic school, would drive
him into the county centre to meet his parents.
And he wasn't told what was happening,
or he wasn't entirely sure where he was going,
but he was assured that his parents would explain.
Now he wasn't sure where he was
when he was dropped off at this big concrete building
and told that his parents would meet him inside.
It has he been kidnapped?
He has been kidnapped.
No, he hasn't been kidnapped.
All right, okay, that's what I'm waiting for.
So I can laugh, okay, good. That's what I'm waiting for so I can laugh. Okay good
There's no kidnapping just
Divorce and a family following a party surprise
Larry
No, so he he climbs the steps into this building and he sees a sign on the on the building saying family court
But it admits that he didn't really know what this meant
It was 16 is I don't know what that is. I don't know what that is.
Is this some sort of family food court?
Ooh.
Because I like baked potatoes.
But mom loves pizza.
Pizza and everyone's having in a food court.
Exactly.
It was some for everyone.
Oh.
He was ushered into a courtroom where he finally saw his parents standing before the judge.
This would be very confusing if you have no idea what's going on.
Yes. Not suddenly in a on. That's not.
Yeah.
It feels like some sort of MTV prank show.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And it gets kind of worse because eventually the judge
sees him at the back of the room and emotions fit.
Hey, hey, come on over.
Exactly.
He does exactly that.
He mentions, he emotions fit him to approach the bench.
And the judge, he's frank in his recollection
of this sort of says that he remembers the judge not really looking at him, not really acknowledging that he was there standing between his parents.
And eventually the judge was just reading from his papers and said that Frank's parents were getting divorced.
And because he was only 16, he'd need to tell the court which parent he would want to live with.
Oh my god, this is like the opposite of Sophie's choice.
Except for a lot less death, but anyway, but he still have to pick a favor. Yeah, is that the opposite of Sophie's choice?
No
Yeah, but I kid picking a parent rather than a parent picking a child. Oh
God, yeah, okay. I see where you would be the opposite would be a kid not picking a parent
All right, not kid, not, not, not kid now.
We're getting a laser.
Oh boy, alright.
So he's picking, he's like, alright well pick who you want to live with.
Now he starts to cry obviously and he ran out of the courtroom
so the judge calls for a 10 minute recess.
But by the time Frank's parents got to the lobby he was gone.
He was gone, he's left the food court.
He ran from the food court.
Oh my god, did he even finish his baked potato? He didn't finish his baked potato. Couldn't eat. He was sick. Six to the start. Okay.
Oh god. And you know he loves baked potato. Okay. He's dad probably finished it off.
Probably dad's do that. No, the judge said, look, you can't put...
You're gonna have to wait till he comes back. He'll pick which parent he wants to finish this baked potato.
How do you have your baked potato? All right. I'm talking baked potato. Yeah.
Microwave first. Then I put butter and salt, then into the oven to crisp it up. Then I
covered it for butter, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, a little bit of salsa. Yes.
You're in potato town. Oh, you've done it. Population, starch. That sounds great to me.
I think you know, at the very minimum, you want your butter and your sour cream. I think you're classic right?
I would say cheese before sour cream. I love cheese. I mean I love cheese too, but sour creams are must on a baked potato
And then if you can get your hands on some guac oh
I mean all bets are hot and then if you've got guac and you can add a little bit of salsa. Oh
Yes, yes, yes, oh my god and question is, why has he left the food corner?
Have he got this?
Or the divorce?
Sorry, I forgot that bit.
I forgot the bit of divorce.
And the choice.
So his parents rush out to the lobby, but he's gone.
He's long gone.
Now, his mother, Paulette, didn't seem after that
for about seven years.
Whoa, Paulette.
Paulette.
Didn't seem for seven years.
He just took off.
That is a horrible name.
I would not pick her. What's the dad's name? Frank Siener. Paulette. Paulette. Didn't see him for seven years. He just took off. That is a horrible name.
I would not pick her. What's the day's name? Frank Siena. Oh, I pick him every day.
Paulette. That's interesting that you say that because Frank Siena never saw or spoke to his son again.
So he's 16. He's run away from home basically. Hit the road road Frank. That's amazing. That is To never see like from you go to school just like all right normal day here we go
Not knowing that's a lot of the gray building okay. All right
Running away like just out of nowhere. Yeah, what a bloody bloody girl. Oh jeez pretty intense. Oh tell you what jeez. It's pretty intense, right? Oh, tell you what. Jeez, I'll always. Yeah, no.
Oh.
Oh, mama.
So he gathered a few of his things and he bolted.
He caught a train into New York City and he'd previously made deliveries for his dad's
stationery business.
So he knew the city pretty well.
So he decided he would find some similar work within the city.
Because he knew Penn, he's a penger.
No, but just like the delivery and the like he knows the city. So he can maneuver he would find some similar work within the city. Because he knew Penn, he's a pen guy. No, but just like the delivery and the,
like he knows the city so he can maneuver his way around.
And he got money?
Can he, can he, can he remember the 16th?
I'd run away, I would have been like,
oh, it would get to dinner time and I would have run out
of money and food.
That's why he's getting a job.
No, see, 16 year old me wouldn't, would not work.
No, I, even if I was starving.
Did you have a job at 16?
Absolutely not.
When did you have your first job?
About 19.
Are you serious?
What were you doing?
I played in a band.
I thought that was gonna be my life.
Oh my God, I forgot you played in a band.
Like you still haven't really had a job, have you?
I mean, you've worked for a trivia company.
I've worked as a kid's party entertainer.
Yeah, I've worked in a party entertainer.
I've worked TV shows.
You've been a band. Yeah, I've worked as a kid's party entertainer. I've worked TV shows. You've been a band.
You've been a band.
Yeah, I made a bit of money, been a band.
Yeah, you've been a bit...
Why did you make enough money in the band just to feed yourself and survive?
No, not like you in my...
Yeah, okay, great.
But I was hoping that one day it was kind of a trade-off like,
Mom and Dad, I'm not working now, but in 10 years,
I'll be a multi-multimillionaire, and I'll pay you back in one lump sum.
Exactly. I'll buy you a jet one lump sum exactly a buy a jet
They were keeping tabs I owe them 28 million dollars
Wow plus interest. I know they were really fucking out for me. I'm more you buying mainly feathers
Yeah, no fair enough. I had to earn a job when I was 12. I've had a job ever since I was 12
What are you doing at 12?
I'm still legal paper around paper. Is that legal?? I know, this was the 1920s, I guess.
You had a mortgage by then.
That's still the prospector.
Paper round and then I went when I was 14, 9 months.
Got a job with a supermarket, trolley boy.
And you were there for like,
for 9 years.
That's too long.
9 years.
Oh my God.
I got a job at 14, 9 months.
What were you doing at that age?
My first job was at Toys Aras
That sounds fun a better one
It was horrendous. Oh, what what what did you have to do pat the giraffe? Yeah, I had to pat the giraffe
Is he same Harold was that just the line that's the laugh it then I don't want to grow up
I don't want to grow up. I want to be a Toys Aras kid. That would play
I mean you do it with the show yeah
Well, I was play with the show? Yeah, well, I was like stalking the show.
But my manager, who is probably only my age now,
like he would have been early to mid-20s,
was just an absolute arse, who's at the worst.
And they would put me in this other 15 year old on
from the 9pm to midnight shift.
It just made no sense.
So then my dad would have to drive to pick me up.
Oh, I know, A big busy shopping center.
Yeah, dad's working for Toys R Us.
Oh, sorry, dad.
That's from the bloody book sale.
It's a shitty job, but yeah, I was working up 15.
So Frank's doing the same and he's getting a job.
He's going to...
Well, so you two can relate to him, but I cannot.
It seems weird when a, like, the guy, your old boss.
So how... I don't understand.
How is some young guy an asshole?
It seems so weird.
Have you not met people your own age that are assholes?
Have you not met people?
Yeah, so there's that too.
I've met kids that are assholes.
You're dealing with a 15 year old.
Yeah.
Why would you be an asshole?
An asshole isn't an asshole.
I've met a cat that's an asshole.
Yeah, this.
I'm not working for that cat.
Oh, that's a good one.
I refuse.
Unless he can offer my band a really big contract
because I need to pay my parents back.
What was your band called again?
I've had many.
The first band was called Weed Hornet.
That's right.
Weed Horn, named out for a whip of stippin' the garage
where we practiced.
What's that?
We didn't get rich.
Weed Hornet started.
Weed Hornet started.
Cut down for a prime.
That is a good name.
My band, I was also in a band. Did you know that?
Yeah, probably. Neither of you saying that shocked. Now, I feel like we're not before. I think we
might have talked about it before. I was in a band called Calls of Distraction. Yes, that's right.
Calls of Distraction. Yeah. I feel like we talked about it. Maybe it was a
bit of that food. No, maybe it was. Is that because that's how your parents described it?
It's distracting you from your Toys R Us job. Yeah, come on Jess, career prospects.
Come on.
All right.
From that Toys R Us ladder.
From that duress neck.
I worked there for one Christmas and a left.
Anyway, so Frank, we're back to Frank. Frank's looking for a bit of work,
doing some delivery stuff.
Delivery.
That sort of thing.
Great.
So he found work.
He found it pretty easily because he did have the experience.
But he soon realized he wouldn't be able to support himself on that amount of money
because he realized that as long as people believe to
a 16 they'd pay him as a 16 year old obviously. Oh that makes sense. But even at his young age he was
already six foot tall he'd always looked older than his peers. So he did not- I cannot relate to this guy
at all. Can you even grow a beard? Still not. 20, 26, six months. Oh, this month. Soon.
Very soon.
Oh my God.
We're having our 26 soon.
Can you, do you think that?
It's hard to say.
If you get to 26, you can't grow a beard.
By the time I'm 50, what happened,
I was just my mom.
I think you don't want me.
I think you don't want me.
I think you don't want me.
Can I have some sort of hormonal injection?
Oh, yeah.
No, yeah, big time.
You go, you go, you're a fake beard.
Oh, don't patronize me.
You got a shave if you can grow a beard.
I don't think it's all you think it is.
But you always wore you have a beard.
That's the other option.
You shave or you have a beard?
Yeah, fuck.
I love both of those options.
Anyway.
I just wish I had options.
So I'm sorry that you can't, can't rely on me.
Carrolite, but he's 6'4", he's 16.
He's 6'4", he looks all the way.
So he decided to lie about his age and in
those days drivers licenses didn't have photos and Frank altered his to change.
But sounds like it's open for distraction. Stop it. He just altered his own license from
1948 to 1938 so now he's 26 years old according to his license. Right? So he's still
he's getting work that way and he's getting paid old, according to his license. Right? So he's still, he's getting work that way,
and he's getting paid a little bit more money,
but it's still not making a lot of money.
So he's like, well, I'm not making myself 96,
and then they'll pay me.
That's how it works.
He began to cash checks.
He did have a bank account that his father had set up for him.
So every now and then, like to, you know,
just tide himself over, he would cash checks
and take money out of that account.
But when the money ran out, he just kept writing checks because people trusted him, like he had
this trustworthy phase and he would just write checks. And they would lay it abounds,
but he would be gone.
Wow.
Pretty clever.
Sounds like a bit of a con man.
Little bit. So when this checks did start to bounce, he began to worry that Senator police
would be after him. So he was unsure if he
should leave the city because he thought it would be more difficult to cash a fake check
elsewhere from a New York bank account with New York drivers license. Like if he's in Miami
or if he's in Chicago, they're going to be a bit more strict. Yeah.
That look into it in more detail. He's out of town. Yeah. So you'd probably, there might
be a different process or they might look at it differently. So he's like, I don't
really know what to do. I don't know how I can leave. Then one night is his walking home. He walks past a hotel
Just as an eastern airline flight crew stepped out of the building
And as you watch the pilot and flight attendants carry their bags to their car
He thought I could pose as a pilot
I could travel all over the world for free
But I could probably get anyone to cash a check for me anywhere starting Starting to relate to this car. Because there's nobody you trust more than a pilot.
Then a pilot.
Oh man, the guy in the flight center commercial.
I was thinking of him.
I love that guy.
He puts the hat on.
He's a reference on my, you know,
all my applications for jobs and properties.
Call the flight center guy, 13, 11, 48.
You'll know who I am.
Hello.
Hello flight center.
I'm just wondering about one of your employees, Jess Perkins.
Press one, if you would like to go on holiday to Thailand.
Well, this checks out.
It seems a little bit different.
He's a big one, I don't know, he's a mascot.
He's like an ad mascot.
For like a chain of travel agents in Australia.
You really over explain everything.
What Jess has just done there is sort of
talk me down a little bit saying that I'm I'm
Over like trying to explain too much more than I need to but what does explain mean Matt?
What days done there's asked a question
The question pose is sort of cutting to the heart of of what I'm doing right now
Which is explaining and he wants to know a little bit more about that.
Oh!
Jess is sort of just exiled and...
Jess, do go on, thanks, Jess, I might.
Well, we're all hosting a home episode separately here.
Oh!
So, the next day, what he does, after he's seen these,
he's got this stroke of genius.
The next day, he makes a phone call
to the executive corporate offices of Pan-Anne and asks to speak to purchasing. So he's transferred through
and when he spoke to someone he told him that he was a co-pilot called John Black
based out of San Francisco. Keep it simple. He told them that he'd flown to New York
the day before and sent his uniform to get dry cleaned by the hotel. Well now the
bloody hotel and the cleaners say they've misplaced my uniform. How old is he?
He's still 16? Yeah. Oh, this is awesome.
Well, no, he's 26, Wayne Quink.
Wayne Quink?
He's also a pilot named Jack Black, Wayne Quink.
Yeah.
John Black.
John Black.
And I think later it was Robert Black,
like it changed around a little bit.
But it was always black.
It was black.
It was better.
Well, he was at Pan Am, yes.
So anyway, he told the person on the phone that he had a flight in about four hours and
had no uniform to wear.
You know, like, I'm into a pickle. I've been in this company for seven years. It's never happened
I'm not really sure what the process here is. What do I do here?
Right and so they're like I don't you have a you've got a backup universe like yeah in San Francisco
Don't never make it in time now. Okay. Okay. Hang on. I'm popping on hold come back to the phone and say all right
You've got to go down to well built the well builtiform Company on Fifth Avenue. There are supplier. I'll call
them and tell them you're coming down. Now it's going to be an out-of-pocket cost to you and not
the company. You know that right? He goes, yeah, no, I understand. That's fine. I'll write them a check.
Boom! Exactly. So anyway, he goes down. He gets fitted for Uniform. Everything's done. Sales person,
he goes, how much do I think was about $280 like cool. I'll write your check
They said no, no, we can't take check. He goes
Okay, I'll pay in cash. I mean, oh no, no, no, that's not how it works
You need to fill out this form
Put in your employee number it gets billed back to pan am and I'll take it out of your next paycheck
And he goes great even better great great. I know my number. No problem. 111 1111 just before 112
I wrote a down just want to remind me how many numbers would be in the number normal. I think there was even boxes
So boxes great boxes are great. How good is that? Seven
Four
Gonna put a three over here
I like he's doing Dutch Lotto.
Yes.
My mum's birthday's on the 16th.
Yeah, all right, I'll put down a 16th.
Yeah, he's a super 16th, one box.
He's not, but anyway, so he's got a uniform now.
He's got a Pan-A-M uniform.
Now New York has two airports.
It has La Guadien Kennedy.
And he went to La Guadiana Airport
and spent the day there watching how the airport operated,
you know, what's going on.
Do you have any of...
Recon.
He's in a bit of Recon.
Oh, Recon!
There we go.
Every suncon.
What were you about to say, Dave?
Is he wearing the uniform and just sort of...
I think you all, yes, he's wearing...
Falling around, having coffee, saying hello to people.
Good to see you again, Burst.
Pretty much, because he was like,
I've got this uniform now, how do I get on the planes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, like he sort of just fumbles his way through my number is one one one one one one one two my my mom was born on the 16 god he seems legit yeah my god that's how
us pilots talk yeah anyway one of them eventually says to him say what's
pan I'm doing out here pan I'm don't fly to look at what are they on the flight
of Kennedy that's great
beautiful lesson one learned so he's like oh yeah now we flew into Kennedy I'm
just out here to catch up with a few friends
Headed about to Kimmy now anyway
That's good quick thinking no no he's saying he's very quick on his fate and he must be like super confident
I want to start crying. I would just shit myself.
Hey pan amiss it doesn't come out of here. No you got me. I'm a big amiss. I've been married twice. I'm busted again.
I'm putting bigger Miss Ben Merritt was I busted again I'm putting Jonesy
You got me I slipped in my mother's bed till I was 70
Are you happy?
Alright alright
Let's look at night terrors sometimes
Shut up
I'm a fake I'm a valiant
Never kissed a girl
I'm not even like coffee whether fuck is this
What is this?
Woah
I just-
First question you just break
Just break with me
Hello sir, how are you?
Oh god you got me
Fuck I thought this uniform was-
You don't believe me, do you?
You don't believe me
You know I'm only six years old
I go to see my fault by break-toddig
That my hotel broke it
Oh god my parents were getting the walls
And just ran away from the bike potato court
Oh I'm just fucked it.
I'm just fucked it.
We love your sense of humor, Blackie anyway.
You're on the next floor.
Good offside, my dear, the case.
He's the case.
I'll see you guys.
See you in Los Vegas, Martin.
Well, if you trust.
Right, so that's a pretty great list of two of learning.
That's such a funny thing to do.
But then during his recon, a second recon.
He also notices that everyone has eliminated photo ID cards.
Without this card, his uniform that he commented is basically useless.
Does he just been walking up to restricted areas and they're going,
do you have your card, sir? And he just doesn't complete 360.
See you in a second.
Oh, I love to do my...
Goodbye. I love to do my... Tch.
Bye.
I love to do it, LaGuardia.
I love to have you as sandwich with friends.
Bye.
My number is 1-1-1.
1-1-1-1-1-2.
I was happy to have you as sandwich with friends.
Bye.
Oh, I see you later, lucky.
Alright, catch you later, mate. Hope you had a good sandwich. Oh, right. God, he's see you later, lucky. All right, catch you later, mate.
Hope you had a good sandwich.
All right, God, he's a character.
I love that stuff.
He's best man already.
I've had an ID card.
He'd be on the next slide out of here.
Tell us what he is.
So he realizes he needs an ID card.
And you know what he does?
He looks in the phone book under identification
and calls all of these companies to try and figure out
who makes the pan PanM ID cards.
And eventually somebody tells him, it's Polaroid that do it, you've got to contact them.
So he gets in contact with the right company, I think it's like a part of Polaroid.
Anyway, he tells them he's a purchasing manager for a small regional carrier
who we're looking to expand.
And he asks if he could come by their offices and discuss their systems and pricing.
He says, I like this PanM system that they've got. I like their format.
We're interested in a similar sort of thing. Can I come down and we have a bit of a chat
about them just in New York for the day. So have you got, oh yeah, sure, come on down.
So he goes to their office and he discusses it with them and like I was saying, he tells
him he likes Pan M format and he asks for a sample. And what they gave him was this glossy
large piece of paper. It has like this is a sample stamped across the top. It's a different photo,
it's his like Joe Blow, is a fake name and stuff. Yeah, why not call myself that? Yeah.
Cause it should have been John Cittas and... Fuck. So he's like, all right, well that's useless.
So then he says, oh, what's all this equipment that's lying around here? And he's like,
oh, we don't just make the cards.
We sell the equipment to sort of do it yourself.
We've got all the photo, we've got the camera.
Let me grab my checkbook.
We've got the cameras, we've got everything.
And he says, oh, OK, yeah, yeah.
Well, we'll have to buy all this equipment for our upgrades.
So why don't you just show me how it works.
Just use me as an example.
So the guy takes his photo and creates a card for him.
That is so good.
What?
Distarm. Make it out to John Black. John Black. So he goes, he takes his photo and creates a card for him. That is so good. What?
Just make it out to John Black.
John Black.
Make me look like a, why am I wearing a Pan-Aid uniform in the photo?
Don't worry, just take the photo.
Just take the photo and it does not ask any questions.
And then, oh, can I keep this sample and they let him take it?
Yeah.
Right, that's too good to be true, right?
Because it is.
He walks out with a Pan-Aid photo ID, but he realizes that where the branding should normally
be, there's no, like it doesn't say pan anywhere, it doesn't have any of the branding
any of that, because obviously it's a sample.
So he's like, oh, and he's all disheartened, he's like, he goes back in and says, um, what,
can you just show me how they put the pan and?
No, he does one better.
So it's not going to pass as a real deal.
He's all just hard and he's walking home and he passes a hobby shop and he goes in and he asks him
if they sell model planes. And the man says, oh here we do. And he goes, do you sell pan-m planes?
He goes, yeah we do. So he buys one of a pan-m cargo plane for about $2.40. Back in his hotel room
throws out all of the parts and retrieves the sheets of decals and are meant to be stuck onto the toy plane.
A little stickers.
Little stickers.
Soaks me in a bit of water and then they fit perfectly onto where they should be on the
card.
No.
That's amazing.
Isn't that amazing?
So it works.
It's a perfect ID card.
And Pan M have since estimated that between the ages of 16 and 18
he flew more than a million miles for free.
26 countries.
But did he not get into the cockpit and then the pilot was like, all right mate, let's do
it.
But there's also another pilot that would be scheduled.
No, he never flew on a Pan M plane.
What do you mean?
So what do you would do?
Because he never wanted to.
He was worried that somebody would ask too many questions.
Maybe they'd also be based in San Francisco.
I'd be like, well, we're never 20 years.
I've never met you.
I was in the food court, having a sandwich or a baked potato.
So he flew with everybody else.
So instead he'd go the desks of the other airlines
and ask if the jump seat was free.
And the jump seats, it's a spare seat in the cockpit,
basically used for that.
So like, you know, pilots need to get to certain places
to start their journeys and stuff like that.
So he would just go up and be like,
oh, I need to get to Chicago's, the jump seat free
and they'd just sign a little pink slip,
that check his ID and he'd wonder in and
You have to see we'd have to sit in the cockpit and make make small talk with the pilots
But it's the same conversation every time someone's you pick up the lingo
You can bullshit your way through anything and whatever fl- whatever plane they were flying
He didn't fly that plane. He didn't fly that style so he didn't have to know anything specific about this
Yeah, you've had an RF-13.13, give you an AX-22 black?
No, no.
No, I don't. I don't. Never touch the things, I fly much larger planes.
I'm a proper pilot.
Or smaller if this is the largest airline.
Is this the largest you've got?
Isn't that amazing?
Do you think that's amazing?
That is really good.
And he's still a teenager.
He's still a teenager.
That is fucking incredible.
And then when he gets to his destination, he'd speak to the desk staff there and he'd be like, I think that's amazing. That is really good. And he's still a teenager. He's still a teenager. That is fucking incredible.
And then when he gets to his destination, he'd speak to this desk staff there and he'd be
like, oh, where do we lay over here?
Because there'd be hotels that have partnerships with the airline.
And then there'd be like a free shuttle bus or something for the airline staff.
And he'd go to that hotel, signing on the airline crew signing a book, which Ben, his accommodation
of food was charged back to the company.
As Blackie?
Yeah, well he had like the fake name and fake card, so just use that.
That is, it's someone in accounts going, who the hell's this?
I don't know how they didn't pick up on it, but he got away with it for a long time.
That is, and a million miles.
Million miles from 16 to 18.
Fuck.
Isn't that amazing?
So good.
So good.
So good. Now, eventually though, the FBI released a John Doe warrant for the use of fraudulent
checks, so they didn't know his name.
They described him as about 30 years old, but they were starting to pick up on his trail.
So he's like, I'm gonna, no good.
This is Tom Hanks, right?
Yes.
Tom Hanks is the FBI.
Anyway, I don't entirely understand this bit,
but the hotels had an agreement with the airlines as well,
though, could cash personal checks for them,
up to about $100.
So he would also just get cash out as well.
Oh, he's got it, man.
He's so good, but then he also discovered
that other airlines would honor that for each other.
So every day he'd go to the airport
and go to every single desk.
And multiple desk. And just cash a fake check and take the money. And that would take, it was a huge airport.
That would take about eight hours. What do you get after eight hours? Shift change, you do it again.
Oh, he's, he's pulling a part of the shift. He has made a lot of money. He's made heaps of money. So he decides,
well, I can just hang up the fake uniform and move somewhere and hopefully get away from you know the eyes of the
FBI who are tracking somebody doing some dodgy things right right so he
ends up moving to Georgia and when he's moving to a new apartment he didn't
want to write his occupation as pilot for fear of being caught so he wrote down
doctor cool easily yeah he says he's a pediatrician and it's not like
an intermurgency anyone it calls on a doctor it looks like doogie house or
it's fine you're on saying aeroplane or something like that yeah is there a
doctor on the plane oh fuck no I'm a pilot pilot oh that's okay because the
pilot's taken it and we need someone to fly this plane. Oh, no
I don't know. I was a doctor. I don't fly this type of plane. Oh, no. I fly model planes
Right, so he's he said he's a doctor
Virtually another man living in the building was a doctor at the local hospital So he's franka said he's a
Pediatrician this guy's ahead of pediatrics
What are the chances? I don't do that kind of pediatrician. This guy is ahead of pediatrics at the hospital. I like what are the chances.
I don't do that kind of pediatrician stuff. I'm going to go with doctor, go to small business man.
Nothing interesting. Drug dealer. Well no because he was delivery. He wanted it to be something
that justified him. He was driving quite a fancy car. He got afforded a nice apartment. I own
lot of small businesses. I'm an entrepreneur. I created Facebook.
Ever heard of it?
No, I'm a doctor.
I'm 30, 40 years too early.
Anyway.
Anyway, I'm going to be big, baby.
Real big.
I invented the internet.
Haven't heard of that either.
Yep, I'm a doctor.
Yeah.
I have pediatricism in my game.
So they kind of, the two doctors became a little bit chummy.
And then he was asked to help out, at one point, he agreed to act as a supervisor of resident
interns as a favor until the local hospital could find someone else to take the job.
Now, the position wasn't too difficult for him because supervisors didn't do real medical
work.
He was just sort of overseeing the residents, right? So he... it's still awful.
But are they still coming up here and going, what did I do, Doc? Just do what's in your heart, kid.
It's pretty much like he would make them kind of do things and he was probably a terrible
supervisor. Dr. People probably died, do you think?
Well, he was nearly exposed when an infant almost died from oxygen deprivation
because he had no idea what a nurse met when she said there was a blue baby
He was like, what do you mean blue baby?
It's a blue baby.
Great. Cool.
Cool man, we're going to be in the newspaper.
My first blue baby discovered sick.
Cool. I'll be in the lobby having a coffee. I've started to like it.
Dr Frank, alright.
Okay, he was able to fake his way through most of his duties
because he just let the interns handle the cases
coming in during his late night shift.
You know, like sit little things like setting broken bones.
Stuff that they'd already kind of learned to do.
All right, so he was doing little things like...
No, he was not.
Oh my god, because that's maybe little to a doctor,
but I couldn't do that.
I couldn't do that.
God, no, I'm not trying to give stitches.
I couldn't do that.
I can't.
So a button on, little on skin.
No, well.
It's not like you can just whip after the toilets and Google and YouTube tutorial.
Oh yeah.
Like how to stitch a gunshot wound with YouTube.
I could definitely be a dog.
Have you taught yourself things off YouTube?
Oh yeah, big time.
Such as.
I didn't want to do.
What did you do? How to replace
battery on key on a key for car? Car key maybe. No, no, I Google the term on key for car.
On key for car. No results. Google said, did you mean I said fuck off Google, I drive this machine.
I have replaced batteries on key for car. On key for car. And you did it?
No.
Okay, great.
But I know how to.
If I haven't used one.
Did you just unscrew the back of it?
No, there's like some sort of thing you got to pop.
Okay.
All right.
Well, that's fun.
But I can, but I can stitch a wound.
Can you think of something?
I mean, I use it all the time.
The classic one, which I think has a lot of hits
is the double wins and not-
Makeup.
Oh, yeah, you've probably done that.
How to make up.
I want you to make up a pilot character
so you can get free flights.
There we go.
Well, I'll tell you.
That's what he was searching.
Well, I'll tell you.
Thanks for asking.
I taught myself the ukulele on the usual. I told myself that you could layly on
I always forget that when people ask you a question I'll forget that
Now ask me how I am
Because I'll tell you I'll tell you we're good tell you all not long
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So Frank, he eventually left the hospital.
After he realized he could put lives at risk.
Oh, so the blue baby really,
why is inability to respond to life and death situations?
He's like, hang on, we've got a potential,
we've been dangerous.
I'm starting to miss the air force.
I better stop.
So he left.
I'm not 100% on the timeline here when this is exactly
happening, because it says while he was posing as a pilot
still, he forged a Harvard University law transcript
and passed the Louisiana bar exam. Oh
So he did the exam he's generally genuinely
The exam passed the bar
Because this is back in the day as well where because now you can only do it once or I don't know the exact rules But back then you could take it and unlimited amount of time so for him it was basically about eliminating trial and error trial and error
Oh, so you did the person a third time. Trial and error. Trial and error. Oh. So the P.A.
A, B-B-B-C-E-D-A-B-C-A.
Pretty much.
Isn't that strange?
So then he was like working as a,
he was working in a law firm as well.
Again, just like, you know, people asking questions.
He's like, yeah, there was one guy.
He was trying to sue a doctor for making their baby blue.
Yeah, it's so strange.
There's one guy who was a real Harvard graduate, also worked
for that attorney general and he was sort of asking Frank some questions about his time
at Harvard and obviously he couldn't answer the questions about a university he never went
to, but he just kind of dodged some bullets and eventually about after eight months of
close to a year he left and went on to do something else.
The other guy. No, no, no, no, Frank. Frank, I'll do that.
So he's asking questions like, where'd you study? A building?
Yep. Bricks? Oh, you, you, this, you were the year of,
oh, I think you were the same year as my friend Carl. Do you have a Carl?
I think you're lying. Yeah, I think you're Carl.
There was no Carl? Was there?
You're a thief.
You forged many scripts, you pretended to be a pilot,
and talked a baby nearly died, and now you hear,
well I'm telling the boss.
Oh, cow with a K. Sorry, I was the thing you see.
I don't know, cow.
Good guy, good guy, good guy, good guy.
Did a lot of, did a lot of beer pot with him.
I should call cow, cow died.
I know, I should call him. I should call him. I should call Carl. Carl died. Carl died. I know. I should call him.
I should call him.
I should call him.
I should call him.
I mean to the occult.
You know that? I can't do that.
So I died doing the Ouija board.
During the Ouija board.
I killed him with the Ouija board.
I shouldn't have said that out loud.
I've got a car.
It's like you were there.
I've got a gift of recreating.
You do. You should do. I've got a gift of recreating.
You do. You sure do.
I'm writing down Carl.
You think he might come back in.
You wrote it with a C. Remember it was with the K-Mac?
We did say that.
Cate up Carl.
Now, like all good things must come to an end.
All good things must come to an end.
All good things must come to an end and Frank was captured. He was actually a
really good. So he's finally kidnapped. Yeah, yeah, he's probably kidnapped. He's actually arrested in
France. Oh, how do you get there? On a plane. Doing his pan-am. I don't know. That's the thing. I
don't really understand the time line. I just said that it says lots of cash, right? Yeah. Oh, that's a good point.
Yeah, it's got a lot of cash. Was he arrested on the plane? He was a doctor. cash, right? Yeah. Oh, that's a good point. Yeah, it's got a lot of cash. Oh, yeah, was he arrested on the plane?
He was a doctor.
No, he was arrested.
Doctor Lawyer.
Doctor Lawyer pilot.
Jeez.
Paris must have been so proud.
He's only 23.
No, no, he's so young.
But yeah, apparently he was recognized
by an air France attendant that he'd previously dated.
And she informed police.
I think it was probably a little bit more obvious now
that he was being tracked. Maybe at this stage had figured out who he was. dated and she informed police. I think it was probably a little bit more obvious now that
he was being tracked. Maybe at this stage had figured out who he was. When the French police
arrested him, 12 countries in which he'd committed fraud sought his extra edition.
Right, so he's travelled a lot. He's travelled a lot and he's just been
fraudding it up in a hurry. When you were saying he's travelled a million miles, I was
imagining just around America. No, 26 countries as well. Wow. And he's traveled a million miles. I was imagining just around America. No, but he's gone 26 countries as well. Wow. And he's and he's had a few girlfriends along the way.
Yeah, it seems like he has had a few girlfriends because there was also he got introduced to the lawyer
through a girl that he dated seems to date a lot of the flight attendants, which I think I
think they remember from the movie. Again, I didn't watch the movie. I think he was dating the
flight attendants to try and fit in as a pilot. Because that's what the pilot's to. When in pilot,
do what the pilot does. When in pilot. Has Shakespeare once said? He did say that. Wow, that's
a good point. That's my favorite of Shakespeare's work actually. Me too. Matt, your favorite. for when does the green grow gray grow
the blue are the blue the blues you know
invented a lot of words not all of them
stuck Jessica he invented a lot of
colors sounds like it green gray
greeny blue burgundy boy just
occasionally I have a stroke during a recording session.
Strogative genius.
Strogative genius.
Thank you.
Thank you.
So, okay, so he's wanted by lots of different countries.
But he's rested in France.
So, did they get the first guy?
They get the first guy.
So, after a two-day trial, he first served in...
They get the first slap.
In pepignol prison?
Well pronounced.
I was about to make a joke, like a pretty sure I know, that pronunciation.
I think you did it.
Okay, so wait, I'm sorry to any French listeners, I did not do French at school, I'm sorry.
It's fun to talk like that.
Pepignol, it's nice.
It was a one-year sentence.
I'm sorry, I was the charge, did you say that?
It was just fraud-based.
Oh yeah, I believe so, yeah.
So I think it was a one-year sentence, but it was reduced to six months during trial.
So he's six months.
When he convinced them that he was actually the sheriff.
Oh, sorry, Patrick.
Oh, it's un-year-to-be.
The convinced the judge that he's the judge.
I'm actually, I think, I'm the judge.
No, I'm the judge.
Spots.
Sorry, man.
I know, the judge is in jail now.
Still there.
Do we know when this is?
What kind of period of time is this?
So now into the early 70s.
1969, so yeah.
The year of Woodstock.
Well, he didn't get to go because he was in Peppin' Yon.
In a tiny cell apparently.
He's, his words.
Oh, apparently he went in there at like 190 pounds,
came out at 109 pounds pounds like lost a lot of weight
There's like pounds barely had any space one kilogram equals 17 pounds is that right?
That seems like way too many
18 why don't know what 17 pounds that would mean that a hundred pounds is five kilos
He went in a man came out the weight of a pumpkin
That's right. I'm not a hell that is that is a dramatic
Nothing but pumpkin. Oh, he became pumpkin. Yeah, yeah one kilo is 2.2 pound
He was £109, he was £49 kilos. Which is lighter than me and he's six foot tall.
He was very thin.
He went in at about £109, which is 86 kilos.
He's not as thin as a pumpkin.
He's always probably thinner than a pumpkin, but not as light as a piece of pumpkin.
When that pumpkin weighs five kilos, I've got to put a lot of stipulation on this.
Is that okay Matt?
I'm so glad I stopped to Google that.
No it is good, yeah.
I mean, I definitely didn't actually think.
Does it help you paint the word, paint the picture more?
Yeah, yeah.
Gives you more of a mental image of what he would have done.
So we went from Leonardo DiCaprio to like a skinny version
of Leonardo DiCaprio.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay, gotcha.
He went from like fat warnakie to
warnakie.
Warnakie, yeah.
Warnakie, yeah.
Well, even fat warnakie, like.
Feralis is warnakie, is Dave.
Normal warnakie.
You went from 86 kilo, like if you were 86 kilos,
maybe you'd just be all muscle if you were 86 kilos.
A lot of like, I'd say that is a fairly normal weight, 86 kilos.
And you're not a short man either.
No, but I'm not six foot either.
You're not.
So, somewhere in between.
Anyway, basically what we're asking is, can you please put on 30 odd kilos just to see
what you look like?
I will do it.
Thank you.
For the role of Dave Warnakit.
Well, I mean, you're mid-twicks at the moment, yeah.
You can put on a good start.
I have eaten one piece of twix.
There's one to go.
And he won't give me the other piece,
even though he's definitely putting it in the bin.
It's poison.
Ha ha ha.
Absolute poison.
Would not do that to you, Matt.
What a reference.
So after you served his time in Peppin' Yolk,
he was extra-eyed to Sweden.
And then he was a trial for forgery.
He's a fence attorney apparently,
almost had his case dismissed by arguing
that he'd created the fake checks and not forged them.
Like, no, they're not forged, he made them.
I don't know what the difference there is.
I love it.
That's great.
And the judge nearly went, I'm confused.
Yeah, so it's like, he's swindling, not fraud.
I'm still so strange.
So he served in a few different prisons around Europe.
But eventually, I think it's sort of got to a point
where he'd served six months somewhere
and was about
to be tried again next in Italy.
But a Swedish judge asked the US State Department officials to revoke his passport and without
a valid passport that the Swedish authorities will legally compelled to deport him to the
US, where he was sentenced to 12 years in a federal prison for multiple counts of four
days.
I'll be.
That's all very complicated, right?
So now he's in...
Basically, everybody's pissed at him.
But now he's in proper American jail
for a proper sentence, 12 years.
Well, like the French prison was apparently pretty awful.
Pretty grim, but it's only a one.
It's super grim, and then Sweden was slightly better.
It's slightly better.
But 12 years is like, that's a proper jail.
That's a stretch.
Yeah, he didn't serve the full 12 years. He ended up serving, I think, about five, That's proper. That's proper jail. That's a stretch.
Yeah, he didn't serve the full 12 years.
He ended up serving I think about five and I will talk about that in a sec.
Right.
There's a couple of escapes as well.
He dodged him a few times.
I think that's sort of what it, in the movie it implies that there are always just hot
on his tails but he just gets away.
I don't know how accurate that is, but there's a couple of stories that I read about that
are like straight from a film where he was apparently, in April of 71, he escaped from
the Federal Extension Center in Georgia.
This is in his book, he says that during his time in a stroke of luck that included the
accompanying US Marshal for getting his detention commitment papers, Abagnale was mistaken
for an undercover police inspector, an undercover prison inspector, so he's like a fake prisoner
going undercover with the prison.
So he was like treated better
and even got better food than the other prisoners.
Cause they thought he was an undercover inspector.
I don't know how that happens.
Well, he must have a very nice face.
Yeah, he's got like a really trustworthy face, obviously.
Maybe you just winked at someone.
The right way.
One wink and they were like oh double his rations
But that's it everybody's kind of sucking up to him because the
Department of Corrections in Atlanta had already lost two employees as a result of reports written by undercover federal agents
So like the rassa. They thought he was a mystery shopper in prison. Yes
That's a great way of looking so the prison guards are being kind of nice to him. Hello, so welcome to the shop
I mean prison. Yeah, what can I get for you?
That's pretty much what's happening.
A better the other prisoners like, why is he getting more? Let's kick this shit out of him.
It's so good. So he contacted a friend in his book,
he called her Jean. And she poses his fiance and slipped him a business card of
Inspector CW Dunlap of the Bureau of Prisons, which should have tamed by posing as a freelance
writer doing an article on Fire Safety Measures in Federal Attention Centers. She also handed over
a business card from a police officer, sorry the FBI agent in charge of his case,
and what he said, okay, it's so hard to follow. Then Frank tells the correction officers
that he was indeed a prison inspector
and he hands over these business cards as proofs,
like a fake business card.
What a time when people just trusted your business card.
I know, it's so amazing, right?
And then he told them he needs to contact the FBI agent,
the other card that he's given.
So they call the fake phone number and gene answers, pretending to be
an operator at the federal Bureau of FBI. So later he's allowed to meet unsupervised with his
friend, Gene, in a... Oh sorry, yeah, with... Okay, so complicated. No, I'm following. Yeah, so they're like, okay, yeah, you can go meet your supervisor,
so they like drop him up.
She picks him up in the sky.
She picks him up, drives him, oh, okay.
Okay, I'm confusing myself here.
He's allowed to meet her in a car outside the detention center.
She picks him up, drive into a bus station.
He gets on the bus to New York,
then a train to Washington, DC,
and then just kind of like, just keeps running.
On the, he's planning to head for Brazil.
He's just like, he just, business cars.
Fade a couple of fake business cars,
he's out of prison.
Just went the wrong way.
He just went north, Brazil's down the bottom, mate.
He's an idiot.
But, um.
Isn't that just kind of insanity? And he's on the run now. Yeah, he's down the bottom, mate. He's an idiot. But um... Isn't that just kind of insane?
And he's on the run now.
Yeah, he's on the run now.
I know, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
I'm assuming...
Oh no, that's...
He did get picked up a few weeks later by two NYPD detectives
when he inadvertently walked past the unmarked police car.
So he got caught, but he got out of prison.
That is awesome.
Yeah, that's so crazy.
With a business card. I Yeah, that's so crazy. With a business card.
I know, it's so insane.
Anyway, 1974, after he'd served less than five years
of his 12-year sentence.
Do you, it's so like, I think about it sometimes,
like, how unlucky that would be that the cops,
so he walked past these cops.
But also cops who would be like,
Hey, they could, like, it was maybe like,
I mean, there's a million people. Everyone kind of looks a bit like everyone. Yeah, I doubt that's them
What are the others that is there looking for a white guy? Okay, excuse me sir. You a no, you're not sorry
Sorry, sorry, I'm embarrassed. You're embarrassed. Sorry mate. Sorry. Sorry. Have a dollar. I have to what's a one of the chances
Anyway, in 1974 after he'd served less than five years
of his 12-year sentence, the United States federal government
released him on the condition that he
helped the federal authorities without pay
to investigate crimes committed by fraud and scam artists.
Oh, because he's so good at it.
Well, they're not paying him.
He's like, I'm not, you know, you don't work for us,
but we'll let you out. And you have to sign in once a week and you've
got to help us with these. And he's like, yeah, that seems kind of good. Anything's better
than prison, I guess. So he didn't want to return to his family in New York. So he just left
the choice of parole up to the court. And it was decided that he'd be paroled in Texas.
So after his release, he tried numerous jobs, including Cook, Grosa, movie projectionist
but he was fired from most of these after it was discovered that he'd been hired
without revealing his criminal parts like he didn't tell him.
Oh he's just a liar!
Sorry I just got out of prison but I really want to show the kids finding Dory.
Come on, come on.
Let me bag your groceries.
Yeah you can't even bag groceries.
Can't.
Hey your bag your groceries are really shit. Bagging your groceries. Yeah, you can't even bag groceries. Hey, your bag your your groceries are really shit.
Bagging your groceries. In a show, a bagging means. I'm you're gonna do that. Bagging means
um, teasing or to make fun. That's taking the piece. That's an international term, right? I don't
think it is. Bagging. Bagging. Really? I don't know. It's not so bad. I don't know know maybe I'm being very I don't think I've heard other people say yeah I think
Stop bagging me. It's that's very Australian
Anyway, he and he was also kind of bored by these jobs too, so he approached a bank with an offer
I'm gonna walk into a bank and just declaring I
Haven't offered but pulls out a piece of paper, right? It's a number on it.
Yeah.
11111111.
What do you think of these numbers?
What do you think of that?
16 there.
That's my mother's birthday.
What do you think maybe his offer was?
Besides 111112.
Um, maybe he offered to...
What was it to...
Drunken to buy the bank?
He offered to buy the bank.
That's the guess from Matt Dave.
I think, did he offer to maybe work for them like he'd been working for the FBI?
He, in a way, yeah. So he explained to the bank what he'd done and offered to speak to the
bank staff and show them various tricks that paper hangers use to defraud banks. Paper hanging
is, is like a, a word for check fraud basically. So he tells them
this is what I did and then his offer included the condition that if they didn't find his speech
helpful that they'd owe him nothing. You know, like if it's not helpful. Just pay me what I'm
worth. You don't have no. It's not helpful. Don't pay me anything. But if they do find it helpful,
they'd owe him only $500 with an agreement that they would provide his name to other banks.
find it helpful they'd owe him only $500 with an agreement that they would provide his name to other banks.
And then they all rocked up to the talk, but there was no bank anymore, he'd stolen it.
He stole the bank.
I'm a bank.
I swin all there.
He wore the bank to another city, he's just walking it around like it's a...
Portable bank.
And your uniform?
I'm a bank.
You do and he...
Banks don't fly out of this airport.
Oh no!
I'll be back at you six times.
Right, so with that, he began a legitimate...
Obviously, they were successful.
He was a security consultant.
Why do he still exist?
He still exists.
Frank, are you listening to this?
Do you Google your name?
Oh my god, he totally would.
Please, get in contact.
I've watched him talk and you look at the actions
and you watch him talk and there's something
so arrogant about him.
Really?
Oh yeah.
As he's so easy.
Like it's an amazing life, but you still kind of
like you're in bit of a dick.
Is he kind of successful?
Well, yeah, kind of.
So he later founded Abagnallan Associates,
which is based in Oklahoma, which advises companies
on fraud issues.
And he also continued to advise the FBI,
with whom he dissociated for over 40 years by teaching at the FBI Academy and like dream for FBI field offices throughout the country.
Does he getting paid this time?
Yeah, I believe they are actually paying him because it's the legitimate business now.
Does he look at all like Leo?
No.
But does he have a kind face? Can you see why people would trust him 40 years ago?
No, it kind of has a punchable face to me
You really mad at him, just saying on this guy. That's interesting because you normally love everybody
Did he even impersonate an accountant or I think I read people very well actually and
While I think his story is very interesting. I wouldn't particularly want to have dinner with him
You know you wouldn't ever had him at your dinner party. You're like sure
You know I feel like he's that type. Anyway, he's fine.
Oh god, he's coming around tomorrow night, should I cancel?
Cancel, I'm busy. Oh, this guy.
So, just a few things to sort of finish up on. The authenticity of his criminal exploits was
always questioned, even before the publication of his book Catching If You Can.
criminal exploits was always questioned even before the publication of his book catch me if you can
so what do you mean so people think
that he's exaggerated
yeah they can like i call bullshit
and a few of his little escape plans and stuff like that couldn't have worked
you know there's times when people are in the suit case for six months
and this example is sort of like what i'm saying when i say he's quite arrogant
this is what i mean so
uh... in nineteen seventy eight after he'd been a featured speaker at a anti-crime seminar sort of like what I'm saying when I say he's quite arrogant this is what I mean. So in 1978
after he'd been a featured speaker at a anti-crime seminar, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter
looked into his claims, like looked into his life and he made phone calls to bank schools,
hospitals, other institutions that Abagnale mentioned and turned up no evidence, like nobody
could confirm anything.
So he's kind of like, well, I smell a wrap,
but then Abingnell's response, so that was,
oh, well, I mean, due to the embarrassment involved,
I doubt if anyone would confirm that information.
Oh, great answer.
Yeah, but also like, fuck off your cocky dickhead.
But as you use several names,
Nailist, this would be pretty fun to.
Yeah, so it's interesting.
And then even in 2002, he himself addressed the issue of his story's truthfulness, because
obviously there would have been a lot of fuss around the movie and stuff like that.
And so he posted on his company's website, this is a statement from him, he says, I was
interviewed by the co-writer only about four times.
I believe he did a great job of telling the story, but he also over dramatized and exaggerated some of the story. That was his style and what the editor wanted. He always
reminded me that he was just telling a story and not writing my biography. So even he's
kind of like my biography is kind of all shit. My biographer refused to be a biographer.
He didn't want to be pigeonholed. It's a story. So he didn't, it's not an autobiography. I think he co-wrote it.
Right.
Yeah, but still.
So the book, Catherine, if you can, was turned into a movie, obviously by, it's directed by Steven Spielberg in 2002,
with Leonardo Caprio and Tom Hanks.
The real Frank Abagnol made a cameo appearance in the film as a French police officer who takes him into custody.
So that's kind of fun.
Oh, in Papua New York.
Yeah, and that's another thing.
He's like, oh, I didn't want to be in the movie
that I said I had to be.
It's like, what the fuck would you have to be?
Like you fucking loved being in that movie.
Yeah.
Oh, no, I couldn't.
Tom Hanksley and Adda Cooper,
they were not the draw cards that they are now
in 2002, so they really wanted me to sell this film.
No, I want to see the real Frank.
What, making my French car? In fact, they wanted me to play me, but I was like. No, I want to see the real Frank.
Make him a French car.
In fact, they wanted me to play me, but I was like,
no, I keep one of the new kids at chance.
I think they're around for 10 years.
Give that small guy that played a bit part in the biggest film ever, Titanic.
Give him a go.
There is something fun about having the real people in those.
Yeah, I like it, but it's good if the real person is someone.
Not just some background.
You know, anyway.
Hey, Ricken, yeah, in another Leo movie,
the one about the wolf.
The wolf of Wall Street?
The wolf of Wall Street.
It's a wolf of Wall Street.
The wolf of Wall Street, yeah, the real guy was in at the end.
Jordan Bellfort.
He, I think at the end, he's doing like,
he's showing that he does
speaking now and I think the guy who introduces Leonardo DiCaprio as the
walk-in-roll street is the actual world. Oh see that's cool. Yeah that's fine. I like
that. Anyway so yeah he makes a cameo in his movie the movie was also became the
basis for a musical of the same name, which opened in 2011.
Now we love.
Catch me if you can.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it.
We love it. We love it. We love it. We love it. We love it. play myself. I quite like this as well. In his book, just to finish on this is kind of
like a nice little quote. So the former police chief of Houston once said of me, this is
Frank Ritey about himself by the way. Once said of me, Frank Abignaile could write a check
on toilet paper, drawn on the Confederate state's treasury, sign it, you are hooked and cashed
at any bank in town using a Hong Kong driver's license for identification.
A Hong Kong driver's license? Well that's the bloody icing on the cake.
He wrote that.
Frank wrote that about himself, but he said a formal police chief in Houston said that about him.
As people have often said about me, I am really good, and gee, with what a good person
I am and good at things. Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, she wears what a good person I am and good at things.
Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good.
End of chapter.
Next chapter.
How good is Frank?
Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank.
It's just a story.
It's just a story about the best person ever.
Me.
So I brushed over a few of the details because I just wanted to get a feel for that sort
of story and that amazing life that he had. And he now just runs a business and a normal dude and he got married and
had three kids. Well, it's not often that we talk about time is still alive, is it? I've just
realized that. Yeah, he's only 68 or something, I think. Yeah, we often, the people we talk about
have passed. I suppose some of the back to the future people, the Merry Poppins episode,
a couple of the Beatles. Okay, Queen Elizabeth II.
All right, a few people still love Buzz Aldrin.
My space episode.
Yeah, so you've, you've, example, there was wrong.
Maybe I'm thinking you've diadled, I've passed, I'm so sorry.
Yeah, but that was, that was a story of Frank Abignau,
Jr. That is a fantastic story.
And it makes me want to see the movie again.
Yeah, I think, with my dad.
But we say this all the time when we do mention movies
and I was like, oh, I'm gonna watch that movie and I never actually do watch it sorry
listeners if you're like oh I wonder what when Jess watched Titanic I didn't I
didn't watch Titanic after I said I was gonna watch Titanic I know that was
something that a lot of them would have been wondering when did she do it what
was she wearing while she watched Titanic that's weird PJs always she's
bearing him right now I'm a bloody cut snug as a bug snug as a bug at a
rug anyway so you know I say oh man I'm gonna go watch I'm a bloody cuss, snug as a bug. Snugg as a bug at a rock. Anyway, so you know, I say,
oh man, I'm gonna go watch Catch Me If You Can.
I won't.
I got other shit on, I'm very busy.
Well that's not true.
I'm so busy.
You see me as such.
Anyway, let's wrap it up.
Oh, it makes me want to be a con man.
It does sound fun, doesn't it?
You're too lazy to be a con man.
I don't like adrenaline all the time.
I'd like to escape from a prison, but never go to prison.
Okay, there we go.
Yeah, that's the hard part.
I like it though.
I'm not sure how to get around that for you though.
Like you're moxie.
Maybe, maybe some sort of...
You would be somebody's bitch within seconds in prison.
You would be my bitch in prison.
Yeah, I mean a women's prison.
Oh, there's been some sort of horrible mix up.
And everyone's winking at me.
They're like, this guy must be some sort of undercover guy.
Let's be nice to him and give him a sec.
I like the eosume we would still think you're a guy.
I would honestly prefer to get a women's person.
I reckon if you, I mean, because you have to show together and stuff.
I think when you see a little packer, you will realize.
We'd figure that out.
Maybe it's so small. What do you mean, maybe? Hey. You haven't evencker you will realize maybe it's so small What do you mean maybe hey you you haven't even
You haven't seen it. You can't see it
I
Okay, I don't want to talk about Dave's picker anymore. I'd like to go now. We're all done
done now
A peck peck peck well before I thank you listen
We're gonna thank just Perkins for a fantastic report and to Ryan the man the magic the myth alleged that has inspired the topic
Thank you Ryan
Thank you, Ryan. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you, Ryan. If you want to get in contact like Ryan did on email
The email is do go on pod at gmail.com
Yep, but if you're a Twitter guy or gal
It's at do go on pod for the handle and even if you're not doing a suggestion you can always tag us on twitter and you if you do a shout out about the episode if you enjoy this share
it with your followers that way we get more people on board and the more people we have
the more the merrier and but if you're a Facebook person we also are getting a few messages
and comments on our wall which is facebook.com slash do go on pod.
It's really nice when you guys check in with this and he is actually yeah
Generally great and when we read your reviews on the old archings and that kind of stuff That's also very nice as well. I was being sarcastic
Ruins my day. You don't like when people check on you. No, no, I like it. I don't I really honestly don't know what I'm talking about
Cool. It's just nice to just nice to have contact with the people. You're not wrong. Touch me. Oh
Touch me. Oh
That was good go again. Ah, yes
Very nice much better noise. Yeah, that's fine. And that's the noise that Matt's Matt makes every time our email goes off
Every time he sees Dave's picker. Oh
I mean, yeah, I'm my magnifying glass broke though
Boom and I'm my magnifying glass broke though Boom and I'm gone
Why nothing to do with that break it
So thank you very much for listening everyone. We will take a feeders off and that is what we do every week
Seven in fact until next Wednesday
Well, we will check in with you until then, thank you and goodbye. Bye. Oh, oh, oh, oh, I miss.
Bye.
Bye.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, I miss.
Bye.
Bye. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, This episode is brought to you by Progressive.
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