'Sobi' and other criminals who have been recruited by governments

Charles “Lucky” Luciano

Infamous Mafia boss Lucky Luciano had his life sentence commuted as he lent a hand to law enforcement.

This was during the Second World War, which took place between 1939 and 1945.

At the time, there was a great deal of concern about Nazi sabotage on U.S. shores. Hence, through intermediaries between the Navy and New York’s organized crime network, Lucky was recruited.

According to author Thomas Hunt, this is how things unfolded:

“Understanding organized crime’s control of dock unions, ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) Captain Roscoe C. MacFall, Commander Charles Radcliffe Haffenden and Lieutenant James O’Malley Jr. sought underworld assistance. They approached Frank Hogan, Manhattan district attorney, and Murray I. Gurfein, assistant D.A. in charge of the Rackets Bureau, seeking an introduction to the Mafia.”

In 1942, Luciano, the Mafia boss, was enlisted and this ensured that there was no further Nazi infiltration on US shores.

Lucky Luciano Pulse

Frank W. Abagnale Jr.

Frank Abagnale was such as smart con artist, known for forging checks and assuming different professional identities. He became famous when his story was captured in the 2002 Steven Spielberg film, “Catch Me if You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

The movie reveals his story between the mid-1960s and the early 1970s. In it, he lived as an impostor. He pretended to be a pilot for Pan American airlines, a doctor in Georgia, a lawyer for the attorney general’s office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a professor at Brigham Young University. He cashed more than $2 million worth of bad checks in over 26 countries. Then, when all was said and done, he was recruited by the Federal Bureau Investigation.

Frank W. Abagnale Jr. Pulse

Sobi

According to media reports, Uganda police last week blocked Paddy Sserunjogi "Sobi" from evicting a 94-year-old man in Nakisunga sub-county, Mukono district.

Sobi, a self-confessed murderer and gang leader of the murderous Kifeesi gang that terrorised Kampala city before he got incorporated into the Uganda police force, reportedly showed up with about 30 other people to raid a certain Musa Mwanje’s land.

According to Mwanje, Sobi introduced himself as a 'Special Forces Command' (SFC) operative hired to clear the contested part of the land.

Although not as smart as Luciano and Abagnale, he is every bit as dangerous being an armed robber who had a penchant for bludgeoning his victims to death with an iron bar. Now, he’s in law enforcement.