Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale: Wife Of Frank Abagnale Jr.
I want to provide an in-depth look at Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale – Frank’s wife of over 40 years. Kelly Anne has largely stayed out of the spotlight, but she played a pivotal role in Frank turning his life around after years of fraud and deception. Read on to learn more about Kelly Anne’s background, her marriage to Frank, and the life they built together.
Who is Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale?
Kelly Anne Welbes was born in 1954 in the United States. Not much is known publicly about her upbringing, but she was raised in a stable, middle-class household. Her parents were Maxine C. Rust Welbes and Louis A. Welbes. They were married for 62 years before Kelly’s father passed away.
After high school, Kelly Anne attended the University of Louisiana where she graduated with a nursing degree. She went on to work as a nurse for some time before switching careers to become a grocery store cashier. This was her job when she first met Frank Abagnale Jr.
Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale’s Marriage to Frank Abagnale Jr.
Frank Abagnale Jr. is one of the most notorious imposters and con-men in modern history. Throughout the 1960s, Frank forged millions of dollars’ worth of fraudulent checks and committed various scams while posing as an airline pilot, doctor, lawyer, and college professor. He became one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives.
In 1974, after serving 5 years in prison, Frank was released on parole. He claims that meeting and marrying Kelly Anne gave him the motivation to turn his life around.
Frank was 28 and Kelly Anne was 22 when they met in 1976. The story goes that Kelly Anne was working as a cashier at a grocery store that Frank frequented. He was apparently drawn to her kind, patient demeanor.
After dating for several months, Frank and Kelly Anne got married on November 6, 1976. Their marriage marked the start of Frank’s rehabilitation as he settled down and left his criminal past behind.
Building a Life Together After Frank’s Troubled Past
According to all accounts, Kelly Anne offered Frank the stability and nurturing environment that he needed to fully reform himself.
In 1978 , two years into their marriage, Frank started his own legitimate business, Abagnale & Associates, focused on fraud prevention consulting. Kelly Anne handled the administrative tasks involved in running the business.
Over the next decade, Frank built Abagnale & Associates into a successful enterprise. His clients included hundreds of financial institutions, corporations, and government agencies. Kelly Anne has worked by his side the entire time.
Kelly Anne and Frank went on to have three sons together – Scott, Chris, and Sean. They raised their family in Tulsa, Oklahoma for 25 years before moving to Charleston, South Carolina in the early 2000s.
Scott followed in his father’s footsteps and is currently an FBI agent. Chris and Sean pursued careers in business. Frank has often stated publicly that being a husband and father gave him purpose and helped him leave his criminal past permanently behind.
Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale Today
Today, Kelly Anne Welbes Abagnale is 69 years old and still married to Frank after over 40 years. The couple currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina.
Frank, now 75 years old, continues to run Abagnale & Associates. He also works extensively as a lecturer, consultant, and expert on fraud and forgery for the FBI. By all accounts, he has fully rehabilitated and has not engaged in any criminal activity since meeting Kelly Anne.
Kelly Anne prefers to remain out of the public eye. Not much is known about her current activities and interests. However, she apparently still helps manage the administrative side of Abagnale & Associates.
Those who know Kelly Anne describe her as intelligent, kind-hearted, and family-oriented. She and Frank have also become involved in charitable work over the years.
Kelly Anne was undoubtedly instrumental in helping Frank turn his life around. Her unwavering loyalty and support motivated him to build an honest career and become a productive, law-abiding citizen.
Did Frank Abagnale Jr Marry Brenda?
No, Frank Abagnale Jr. did not marry someone named Brenda. In 1976, six years after being released from prison, Abagnale married Kelly Anne Welbes. They have been married for over four decades and have three sons together – Sean, Scott, and Chris Abagnale.
There is no evidence that Frank Abagnale Jr. was ever married to or in a relationship with someone named Brenda. His only wife has been Kelly Anne Welbes, who he credits with motivating him to turn his life around after his years as a notorious con man and check forger in the 1960s. Abagnale has stated that meeting and marrying Kelly Anne gave him the stability he needed to reform himself and start his life over.
