Vanessa Richardson

Pouring over the list of potential victims she'd collected from the society pages, Catherine started whittling down her list to a few well-chosen marks. With the right moves, she was sure they could net however much they'd need to set themselves up for life. The goal was a cool million dollars. It was as audacious a plan as anyone had ever dreamed.

Pouring over the list of potential victims she'd collected from the society pages, Catherine started whittling down her list to a few well-chosen marks. With the right moves, she was sure they could net however much they'd need to set themselves up for life. The goal was a cool million dollars. It was as audacious a plan as anyone had ever dreamed.

But if anyone could pull off such a feat, it was surely Catherine Kelly. In the second half of Catherine and George Kelly's story, we'll see the infamous duo set out to commit the crime of the century. But when the going gets tough, well, even the toughest lovebirds get going in different directions. By 1933, 28-year-old Catherine Kelly had everything she'd ever dreamed of.

But if anyone could pull off such a feat, it was surely Catherine Kelly. In the second half of Catherine and George Kelly's story, we'll see the infamous duo set out to commit the crime of the century. But when the going gets tough, well, even the toughest lovebirds get going in different directions. By 1933, 28-year-old Catherine Kelly had everything she'd ever dreamed of.

A closet full of clothes, jewels to rival any queen's, and the latest luxury car parked in her driveway. But no matter how much she had, there was always a part of her that wanted more. To call her materialistic would be putting it nicely. No, Catherine was greedy.

A closet full of clothes, jewels to rival any queen's, and the latest luxury car parked in her driveway. But no matter how much she had, there was always a part of her that wanted more. To call her materialistic would be putting it nicely. No, Catherine was greedy.

Before we get into Catherine's psychology, please note I'm not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show. In a 2014 study, researchers Hudela Krekels and Mario Pondelaire defined greed as an "...insatiable desire for more resources, monetary or other."

Before we get into Catherine's psychology, please note I'm not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show. In a 2014 study, researchers Hudela Krekels and Mario Pondelaire defined greed as an "...insatiable desire for more resources, monetary or other."

Kreckles and Pondelaire further noted that greed may have evolved as an adaptive trait in resource-poor environments. By acquiring as many resources as possible, greedy people might feel more confident of their future resource access during times of uncertainty. As we discussed last time, Catherine came from humble beginnings.

Kreckles and Pondelaire further noted that greed may have evolved as an adaptive trait in resource-poor environments. By acquiring as many resources as possible, greedy people might feel more confident of their future resource access during times of uncertainty. As we discussed last time, Catherine came from humble beginnings.

Growing up on a farm, she likely lived with the feeling of never having enough. As such, it's possible she obsessively gathered more than she needed as a survival mechanism. Perhaps she wanted to decrease her anxiety about a future that was becoming less certain by the day.

Growing up on a farm, she likely lived with the feeling of never having enough. As such, it's possible she obsessively gathered more than she needed as a survival mechanism. Perhaps she wanted to decrease her anxiety about a future that was becoming less certain by the day.

With Prohibition coming to an end, Catherine's lucrative bootlegging operations would soon dry up, and the longer the Great Depression lasted, the more fruitless robbing banks became. Simply put, most Americans had no money left to deposit. Fortunately for Catherine, a new criminal venture was emerging.

With Prohibition coming to an end, Catherine's lucrative bootlegging operations would soon dry up, and the longer the Great Depression lasted, the more fruitless robbing banks became. Simply put, most Americans had no money left to deposit. Fortunately for Catherine, a new criminal venture was emerging.

By 1933, kidnapping was a nationwide scourge so common, the New York Times dedicated a regular feature to updates on high-profile cases. Insurance companies even started offering kidnap coverage. While the country's richest had avoided the worst of recent suffering, they now had a target on their backs.

By 1933, kidnapping was a nationwide scourge so common, the New York Times dedicated a regular feature to updates on high-profile cases. Insurance companies even started offering kidnap coverage. While the country's richest had avoided the worst of recent suffering, they now had a target on their backs.

It got so bad that social elites began hiring private security for themselves and their families. Even so, enterprising criminals like Catherine were undeterred. If anything, she likely saw the heightened security as a challenge. You see, when the snatch racket first began, it was as simple as grabbing a target off the street and waiting for the cash.

It got so bad that social elites began hiring private security for themselves and their families. Even so, enterprising criminals like Catherine were undeterred. If anything, she likely saw the heightened security as a challenge. You see, when the snatch racket first began, it was as simple as grabbing a target off the street and waiting for the cash.

Chances were that the authorities wouldn't even find out what had happened until the victim was safe at home. And by then, the abductors were already states away. That said, kidnapping definitely took both brains and skill, two things Catherine prided herself on having plenty of. And with her 38-year-old husband, George Machine Gun Kelly, beside her, she had the muscle, too.

Chances were that the authorities wouldn't even find out what had happened until the victim was safe at home. And by then, the abductors were already states away. That said, kidnapping definitely took both brains and skill, two things Catherine prided herself on having plenty of. And with her 38-year-old husband, George Machine Gun Kelly, beside her, she had the muscle, too.