The Guardian has a 6,000 word "condensed book" version of "Other People's Money – The Rise and Fall of Britain's Most Audacious Fraudster," an autobiography of a Frank Abagnale (Catch Me If You Can) type character named Elliot Castro.
Elliot Castro is unique in the history of British financial crime. No outside individual has stolen so much money for so long from the credit card system. Identifying the banks' many security weaknesses, utilising his formidable intelligence and charm, Elliot embarked on a spending spree that ran into seven figures. The money wasn't funding an addiction or other criminal enterprises – Elliot was simply a working-class kid who lacked qualifications but not ambition.
From London to New York, Ibiza to Beverly Hills, Castro lived a fantasy life. He stayed in famous hotels, travelled first class, and blew a small fortune ondesigner clothes and champagne. Time after time, Elliot managed to wriggle free of the numerous authorities who were on his tail while his life spiralled out of control. As he juggled aliases and lied to family and friends, he began to lose his grip on reality.
