Neil J. Welch (August 9, 1926 – June 29, 2017), nicknamed "Jaws", was an American

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

agent. He was perhaps best known for masterminding in the

Abscam Abscam, sometimes written ABSCAM, was a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s that led to the convictions of seven members from both chambers of the United States Congress and others for bribery and co ...

sting operation In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime. A typical sting will have an undercover law enforcement officer, detective, or co-operative member of the public play a rol ...

Life and career

Welch was born in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

. He attended North High School, Omaha University and Creighton University Law School. In 1951, Welch joined the

as a

special agent In the United States, a special agent is an official title used to refer to certain investigators or detectives of federal, military, tribal, or state agencies who primarily serve in criminal investigatory positions. Additionally, some special ...

. He retired in 1980. Welch died on June 29, 2017, at the age of 90.

References

1926 births 2017 deaths People from Saint Paul, Minnesota Federal Bureau of Investigation agents Abscam University of Nebraska Omaha alumni Creighton University School of Law alumni {{US-gov-bio-stub