Eugène François Vidocq

Eugène François Vidocq was a French criminal turned detective in the early 19th century, often regarded as the father of modern criminology. His memoirs, published in 1834, detailed his experiences and investigations, including early references to fraud schemes, and inspired later literary figures such as Victor Hugo and Edgar Allan Poe. Vidocq's work laid the groundwork for modern investigative techniques and criminal profiling.