In reality he seems more of a small-time crook and a big-time creep. Arrested mainly for steeling from families while dressed as a pilot and a kids camp. From

In reality he seems more of a small-time crook and a big-time creep. Arrested mainly for steeling from families while dressed as a pilot and a kids camp. From Wikipedia: "Abagnale was in fact in the United States Navy from December 1964 through February 1965. Following his release from Great Meadow Prison on Dec 24, 1968, Abagnale was re-arrested on Feb 14, 1969, in Baton Rouge after victimizing a local family and small business. He told the Parks family of Baton Rouge he was a TWA pilot on furlough while he stayed with them. While their backs were turned he rifled through their belongings and stole their personal checks. This is the first reference to Abagnale committing a crime dressed as a pilot. Abagnale was convicted and sentenced for theft and forgery from the Parks family and a local small business (Dolley and Son) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in June, 1969 (State of Louisiana vs. Frank W. Abagnale. Case #69.103 and Case #69.104). Abagnale fled his supervised probation and court-ordered psychiatric treatment and in August, 1969, he victimized two local families in Klippan, Sweden, while dressed as a TWA pilot (Swedish national Archives, Case #B -195/70). Within a month, Abagnale was arrested in Montpellier, France, and served 3 months in Perpigan prison. He was extradited to Sweden and was sentenced to two months in Malmo jail. After deportation to the United States, Abagnale secured a Pan American Airlines uniform. In the summer of 1970, at 22 years old, Abagnale began a three-month period where he wrote 10 personal checks with a Pan American Airlines logo attached. Targets included small businesses such as Hales Camera in Provo, Utah, and Pilgrim Dry Cleaner in Houston. On November 2, 1970, Abagnale was arrested in Cobb County, Georgia. This three-month period is the basis of his self-promotion as the world's greatest imposter. Federal court records show that Abagnale was convicted for the 10 Pan American Airlines checks in five States (Texas, Arizona, Utah, California and North Carolina), worth a grand total of less than US$1,500 (United States of America vs. Frank W. Abagnale. Southern District of Georgia. For the US, J. Owen Forrester, Docket #s 26829, 26814, 26797, 26793, 26734, 26733, 26706, 26689). Following parole, he claimed he went to work for the FBI. However, he was arrested in the summer of 1974 in Friendswood, Texas, for theft at a kids' camp, Camp Manison. This arrest was noted in the local paper (Houston man arrested for Camp Manison theft. The News (Friendswood, Texas). 1974;Thursday 5 Sep,Page 1). Combined, the NPR article, and the separate article in the Louisiana Voice, and the detailed, 350-reference book The Greatest Hoax on Earth, debunk Abagnale's many claims, and refute his long-standing claim that he "never, ever" ripped off an individual or small business.[33] There is no evidence that he was ever nicknamed The Skywayman, nor that he was ever on any wanted list of the FBI."