Fagin.

About Fagin

Fagin is a fictional character and the secondary antagonist in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel Oliver Twist. In the story, Fagin is the leader of a group of children whom he teaches to make their livings by pickpocketing and other criminal activities, in exchange for shelter. A distinguishing trait is his constant and insincere use of the phrase "my dear" when addressing others. At the time of the novel, he is said by another character, Monks, to have already made criminals out of "scores" of children. Nancy, who is the lover of Bill Sikes, is confirmed to be Fagin's former pupil. Originally depicted by Dickens as explicitly Jewish, Fagin is described in the novel’s preface as a "crafty old Jew" and a fence though Dickens downplayed the character’s Jewish background in later editions.