Catch Me If You Can-Style Conman Exposed After Decades of Bizarre Lies, Scams: Report

A man in the U.K. who claimed to be friends with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a pilot with a multimillion-dollar trust fund, and a cruise ship captain was exposed as a decades-long conman who swindled millions of dollars from people, according to a report.

Jody Francis Oliver, 45, is currently behind bars on fraud and theft charges after leading seven different lives and allegedly swindling roughly $5.6 million from people, The Times of London reported. For decades, the man reportedly took on different high-powered identities, despite being an unemployed married dad of three.

Oliver reportedly began his lies after he left high school, when he worked as a special constable for the Dyfed-Powys police department in Wales. He lost his job from the department after forging a letter to the chief constable claiming to be a senior officer who commended Oliver’s work as an officer and said he won a policing award, according to The Times.

He went on to marry his school teacher wife in 2002, and set up a driving school and eventually connected with British Rally Champion driver Colin McRae. The conman, who has been likened by U.K. media to American convicted felon Frank Abagnale of 'Catch Me if You Can' movie fame, told the driver that he had secured him a sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola. He also reportedly told another young driver he secured him a more than $400,000 sponsorship deal with Ryanair, claiming he was friends with the Irish airline’s CEO. Neither of the deals were real, according to The Times.

Oliver was discovered by police for forging documents for the phony sponsorships and sentenced to community service in 2004, but the cons only grew from there, the report shows.

"For what purpose he did all of this, I’m not sure," said Campbell Roy, a business manager of McRae, who died in 2007. "It was likely just an ego trip," he added, explaining the lies did not provide Oliver with an immediate financial benefit.

Oliver was found guilty of numerous fraud and theft charges, including swindling elderly and retired victims with fake cruise tickets and discount airline tickets. Despite his incredible ability to assume various identities and manipulate those around him, Oliver was eventually exposed and sentenced to more than six years in prison. His extraordinary deceptions have left many victims still grappling with the financial losses they endured.

This astonishing saga serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to deceive others for personal gain. It is a tale that captivates, intrigues, and ultimately raises questions about our society's vulnerabilities to con artists and their elaborate schemes.