Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale is the wife of Frank Abagnale Jr., the former con artist whose life story inspired the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can. The couple married in November 1976, raised three sons, and live in the Charleston, South Carolina area.
She has never given a public interview, so almost everything known about her comes from her husband. Below, Scan Insider separates what is documented from what is only repeated online.
Key Takeaways
- Kelly married Frank Abagnale Jr. in November 1976.
- Abagnale says they met in Texas while he was on an undercover government assignment.
- KUTV reported she was an intern working on a master’s degree in psychology at the time.
- The couple has three sons and lives near Charleston, South Carolina.
- Her age, birth date and net worth have not been publicly confirmed.
Quick Facts About Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Name | Kelly Abagnale (maiden name widely reported as Welbes) |
| Known for | Wife of Frank Abagnale Jr. |
| Married | November 1976 |
| Where they met | Texas, according to Abagnale |
| Studies when they met | Master’s degree in psychology (KUTV) |
| Children | Three sons |
| Home | Charleston, South Carolina area |
| Birth date / age | Not publicly confirmed |
Her Background
Kelly has kept her life private, and no reliable source gives her birth date, hometown or family background. Profiles that list an exact birthday or birthplace do not cite a record, so we treat those claims as unverified.
The one detail that comes from a news outlet is her education. KUTV reported in 2017 that when Abagnale met her, she “was working as an intern while working on a masters degree in psychology.”
How She Met Frank Abagnale Jr.
Abagnale has told the story several times. In a 2016 interview with AARP, he said: “While I was on an undercover assignment in Texas, I met my wife, Kelly.”
In a 2017 KUTV interview, he added that he broke protocol by taking her to a park and telling her the truth about his past. Her reply, as he recalls it: “So I guess you’re telling me you’re a federal agent?” He answered, “Not by choice,” and then told her the rest of the story.
Her parents were not thrilled. Abagnale told AARP that he asked Kelly to marry him “and against the wishes of her parents, she did.” KUTV noted that her family found his past “very difficult” to accept, but that “in the end, it worked out.”
Marriage and Wedding
The couple married in November 1976. In the 2016 AARP interview, Abagnale said: “In November this year, we’ll be married 40 years. She believed in me, she trusted me and she took me for what I was.”
He has also said that meeting Kelly motivated him to change his life, according to his Wikipedia biography. Details such as the wedding venue have not been confirmed by a reliable source. You can find more long marriages in our celebrity spouses category.
Their Three Sons
Frank and Kelly Abagnale raised three sons. Several websites name them and describe their jobs, including claims that one son joined the FBI, but we could not confirm those specifics through reliable reporting. Because the sons have chosen to stay private, we have left out their names.
What We Know vs. What Is Unconfirmed
One reason details about Kelly are hard to pin down is that the main source, her husband, has a disputed record. Here is how the claims stack up:
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Married in November 1976 | Supported by Abagnale’s 2016 AARP interview |
| Met in Texas | Abagnale’s own account |
| Psychology studies | Reported by KUTV, based on Abagnale |
| Three sons | Wikipedia, citing Charleston Magazine (2010) |
| Exact birth date and hometown | Unconfirmed |
| Net worth | No reliable estimate |
Researchers have challenged much of Abagnale’s life story. As WHYY reported in 2021, author Alan C. Logan used prison and court records in his book The Greatest Hoax on Earth to argue that most of his famous cons were invented or exaggerated. Abagnale called the book “not worthy of a comment.” That debate does not change his marriage, but it means the romantic meeting story rests on his word alone.
Kelly and the Catch Me If You Can Story
Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as the FBI agent chasing him. The movie covers his teenage years of check fraud and impersonation, not his later family life, so Kelly is not part of its plot.
Scan Insider covers other spouses who were drawn into a famous partner’s story, such as Denika Kisty, wife of NBA guard Jason Williams, and Mallory Plotnik, wife of worship singer Phil Wickham.
Life Today
Abagnale and Kelly live on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina, according to his Wikipedia biography. We found no verified public social media account in her name, and she does not appear to give interviews.
For marriages that did not last, explore our celebrity exes section, including Jan Ashley, Robert Kardashian’s former wife, and Nicole Threatt, Dr. Dre’s ex-wife.
In short, Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale is the private, long-time partner who, by her husband’s account, believed in him before almost anyone else did. Scan Insider will update this profile if she ever speaks publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Frank Abagnale Jr. married to?
Frank Abagnale Jr. is married to Kelly Abagnale, widely reported under the maiden name Kelly Anne Welbes. The couple married in November 1976, and Abagnale told AARP in 2016 that they were about to celebrate 40 years together. They have three sons and live in the Charleston, South Carolina area.
How did Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale and Frank Abagnale Jr. meet?
According to Abagnale, they met in Texas while he was on an undercover assignment for the government. KUTV reported that Kelly was then an intern working on a master’s degree in psychology. He later broke protocol to tell her who he really was, and she agreed to marry him.
Do Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale and Frank Abagnale Jr. have kids?
Yes. The couple has three sons, according to Frank Abagnale’s Wikipedia biography, which cites a 2010 Charleston Magazine profile. Several websites list the sons’ names and careers, but we could not confirm those details in reliable reporting, so this article does not repeat them.
Is Kelly Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can?
The 2002 film Catch Me If You Can focuses on Frank Abagnale’s teenage cons and the FBI chase that followed, not on his marriage. Kelly met Abagnale years after the period the movie dramatizes, and her relationship with him is not a storyline in the film.
Sources
- AARP (2016): Frank Abagnale Will Catch You If You Scam
- KUTV (2017): Frank Abagnale Jr. tells stories of times he revealed his true identity
- Frank Abagnale – Wikipedia
- WHYY (2021): The Greatest Hoax on Earth
- Featured image: “Frank W. Abagnale in 2008” by Abagnale & Associates, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons.
