Skip to main content

March 20, 1940 - Mike DeBardeleben

DeBardeleben's crimes came to light almost by accident — it was a counterfeiting investigation that led Secret Service agents to evidence of a far more serious pattern of sexual violence spanning years and multiple states. The breadth of what investigators uncovered in his possession after his arrest placed him among the most studied subjects in criminal psychology, and the DSM-IV later cited him specifically as an exemplar of both sexual sadism and antisocial personality disorder. His 375-year federal sentence reflected the scope of documented offenses, while suspected homicides for which he was never tried remained unresolved at his death.

From Wikipedia

James Mitchell "Mike" DeBardeleben Jr. (March 20, 1940 – January 26, 2011) was an American convicted kidnapper, rapist, counterfeiter, and suspected serial killer who became known as the Mall Passer due to his practice of passing counterfeit bills in shopping malls bordering interstate highways across the United States. FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood said DeBardeleben was the best-documented sexual sadist since the Marquis de Sade, and one of America's most dangerous known criminals.

In personality, DeBardeleben displayed marked schizoid and narcissistic traits, along with symptoms of psychopathy. He also exemplified all eight of the outdated DSM-III-R criteria for sadistic personality disorder. DeBardeleben was characterized as having a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality, whose demeanor could shift from affable to extremely cruel. The DSM-IV cites DeBardeleben as an example of both sexual sadism and antisocial personality disorder.

After his arrest for counterfeiting, the Secret Service found evidence linking him to a series of sex crimes; he was tried, found guilty and sentenced to 375 years in federal prison. Although he was never brought to trial for murder, he was the principal suspect in two homicides, and he remains a suspect in several others.

⚠ Report a problem with this article

  • Last updated on .