Where Are They Now? 5 Criminals from Movies Based on True Stories

Goodfellas: Henry Hill

Henry Hill was the subject of the book “Wiseguys,” which inspired the legendary 1990 movie “Goodfellas,” directed by Martin Scorsese. Hill was played by Ray Liotta, in perhaps the most memorable performance of his career.

Having grown up in a poor working-class family in Brooklyn, in his teen years Hill did odd jobs for Paul Vario of the Lucchese crime family. Though he couldn’t be made because he was half-Irish, he later helped Jimmy Burke and others hijack trucks, sell stolen goods, engage in loan sharking and bookmaking, plan airport robberies, carry out the Air France Robbery in 1967 and the huge Lufthansa heist in 1978, and commit numerous mob-related murders.

Following parole after serving six of 10 years of a prison sentence for extortion, Hill began a massive drug trafficking operation, despite warnings from Vario and Burke. Soon after, Burke murdered many of the wiseguys involved in the Lufthansa heist and Hill became paranoid. After the FBI confirmed that he was going to be whacked, Hill entered the federal witness protection program and testified against Vario and Burke, sending them to prison, where they later died.

Addicted to the thrill of being a criminal, Hill couldn’t stay clean though, and he and his wife were expelled from the program. Most recently, he was arrested again in March 2005 for transporting cocaine, methamphetamines and other drug paraphernalia in North Platte, Nebraska.

These days, the “Real Goodfella” owns a “Wiseguys” restaurant in Connecticut, peddles mob-related paintings on eBay, sometimes hangs out on the Howard Stern show, and openly talks about being a fan of circumcision. Hill also wrote a book called “The Wiseguy Cookbook,” and has his own website. He is currently living in Malibu, California, with his fiancee Lisa Caserta.

Blow: George Jung

George Jung, aka “Boston George,” was a major figure in the cocaine trade of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and part of the Medellín Cartel, ran by Colombian crime lord Pablo Escobar. His life story was depicted in the popular 2001 movie “Blow,” with Johnny Depp assuming his role.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Jung moved to California, where he began smuggling Marijuana in planes across the country. Sometimes making $250,000 each month, the operation came to a halt when a connection was arrested and informed on Jung. Just like in the movie, he argued with a judge about “crossing an imaginary line with a bunch of plants” and was promptly sent to federal prison.

While behind bars, Jung met the Colombian Carlos Lehder, who taught him how to smuggle cocaine and introduced him to Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel. Jung facilitated smuggling to the U.S. for Escobar through his California connection, Richard Barile, who he initially kept a secret. However, he caved under pressure from Lehder and later introduced him to Barile, who betrayed him.

After leaving the cocaine trade and staying clean for a while, Frank was caught trying to smuggle marijuana again in 1994. He was slammed with three counts of conspiracy and is currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution, La Tuna in Anthony, Texas. He is slated for release on November 27, 2014, at age 72.

American Gangster: Frank Lucas

Frank Lucas was a major organized crime boss and drug lord in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The story of his rise to power and later incarceration was portrayed in the 2007 film “American Gangster,” with none other than Denzel Washington in the lead role.

Lucas grew up in North Carolina before moving to New York, where he got his start doing petty crimes and pool hustling, and gangster Bumpy Johnson took him under his wing until his death. Johnson realized that in order to make any money, he was going to have to break the stranglehold of power the Italian Mafia had over New York, and with his connections in the army, began smuggling heroin from South Asia.

Allegedly using the coffins of dead American soldiers fixed with secret compartments to transport drugs, Lucas soon built his own monopoly on the heroin market in Manhattan, selling his 100% pure “Blue Magic” heroin himself on the street. At the height of his operation, he was making $1 million per day).

Lucas was finally brought down by prosecutor Richie Roberts and charged with federal and New Jersey state drug violations. Though he was released after 5 years behind bars, he was caught trying to sell heroin in 1984 and went back to prison until 1991. He currently lives in New York with his wife of 40 years, who launched Yellowbrickroads, a website for children with incarcerated parents.

Catch Me If You Can: Frank Abagnale, Jr.

Frank Abagnale, Jr. became arguably the world’s most famous con-man, forger and impostor after Leonardo DiCaprio depicted his life story in the popular 2002 movie “Catch Me If You Can,” directed by Steven Spielberg.

Leaving home at the age of 16, Abagnale embarked on a five-year crime spree, passing bad checks worth about $2.5 million in 26 countries. He also successfully impersonated a PanAm airline pilot, a teaching assistant at Brigham Young University, a chief resident pediatrician in a Georgia hospital, and worked at the office of the state attorney general of Louisiana after passing the bar exam.

Having escaped police and prison multiple times, he was finally captured in France in 1969. After serving fewer than five years, he was released on parole in 1974. He tried his had at many jobs until he approached a bank and offered to educate them on his fraud methods for a fee of $500, and under the condition they recommended him to other banks. The banks were impressed by the results, and he began a legitimate life as a security consultant.

Today, Abagnale is a consultant and lecturer at the FBI academy and field offices for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and also runs Abagnale & Associates, a financial fraud consultancy company.

Deadly: Karla Homolka

Deadly isn’t on par with the other blockbuster movies mentioned above, but it bears mentioning because of the despicable crimes Karla Homolka committed.

Together, Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo raped multiple teenage girls, but are best known for the murders of three young women, including her sister. When Paul demanded Karla’s baby sister Tammy’s virginity, Karla happily obliged and drugged her for the taking on Christmas Eve of 1990. Sadly, she died choking on her own vomit while Paul raped her.

Paul not being satisfied after Tammy’s death, they also kidnapped, raped, murdered and dismembered 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy in 1991 and raped and murdered 15-year-old Kristen French in 1992. After taking a brutal beating from Paul in 1993, Karla turned herself in and worked out an extremely controversial plea deal that ensured she was only charged with manslaughter and Paul went to prison for life.

Laura Prepon made an extremely risky career move when she took on the role of Karla in the 2006 movie “Deadly,” which depicted the story of the Bernardos and an unusually sympathetic view of the female rapist. It raised hell in Canada and was banned from theatres all across the country. Shockingly, the families of the victims attended a screening and gave it their approval.

After being released from prison in 2005, Karla moved to Montreal and worked in a hardware store for a while until the owner attempted to set her up so she would violate her parole. Unable to cope with the scrutiny of the Canadian public, Karla remarried, had a son, and left the country. Today she goes by Karla Teale and lives somewhere in the West Indies.

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