The Fabulous Fraudulent Life of Jocelyn and Ed

In the grand scheme of con-artistry these two collegiate brats score relatively low on the scam scale (the scam scale of course ranging from Uri Geller to Frank Abagnale Jr.), but reading the details in this Rolling Stone article of their underhanded and excessive, albeit short lived lifestyle, makes for a cringe-worthy and fascinating look into the world of two over-privileged children who thought that they had the world wrapped around their fingers. As reported in the article, the couples spending spree exceeded well beyond $100,000, money which the duo acquired through stealing the identities of friends and neighbors. So far 5 separate victims have been named in the case.

What did all that money go towards? Mostly travel expenses, fancy hotels, and expensive clothing and jewelry. Material things.

What’s striking about these two grifters is how determined they were to flaunt their ill-gotten gains. They acted two kids on a joy ride utterly delighted by their own cleverness — as exemplified in an e-vite Jocelyn sent to friends not long before their arrests, announcing a surprise 25th birthday party for her boyfriend Ed at an upscale tapas bar. “My treat”, of course!

Steeped in narcissism and privilege, fueled by entitlement and set in an age of consumer culture gone wild, their story is truly an outlaw romance for the 21st century. The Philadelphia Daily News immediately dubbed the photogenic couple Bonnie and Clyde. It’s a name some people take exception to. The title of Bonnie and Clyde fit mostly because those nicknames are a cliche at this point, but also due to the criminals ages.

“They’re young and good-looking”, scoffs Detective Terry Sweeney of the Philadelphia police. “These two were complete idiots. If this was two fat fucks from South Philly, it would have been Turner and Hooch”.

Rolling Stone