WHEN I FIRST GOT LOCKED UP I had gobs of inmates tell me I should write a memoir. My case had already been featured in dozens of newspapers and national magazines. Several tabloid style news programs had aired episodes based on my story. Also, at the time, I was receiving requests for interviews from true crime docudramas such as: Locked Up Abroad, I (almost) Got Away With it, etc.
Like most white collar criminals, I wasn’t ready to memorialize my crimes. I was still in shock at having been arrested, struggling with incarceration and wrestling with depression. Nor was I ready to own up to the fact that I was a con man.
Sometime in 2010, I started reading true crimes stories, true crime memoirs and personal biographies, which led to me reading several how-to-books on writing nonfiction and true crime. Eventually, I decided to start writing. You’d think telling your own story would be easy; that would be true if we all perceived ourselves accurately. But that’s typically not the case.
Over the course of writing—and rewriting—my memoir, I learned a lot about myself. Despite being described as charming, self-confident and funny—all of which I’m okay with. I, reluctantly, came to the conclusion I’m a pretty serious self-centered, manipulative narcissist. Single-mindedly goal oriented, and, in many instances, unconcerned with the consequences of my actions. In short, I’ve got some issues.
Regardless, I believe knowing these personality defects made for a much deeper, richer story; chronicling not only my crimes, but the evolution of a con man.