Kriti Mehrotra
As a four-part documentary series living up to its title in every way conceivable, Netflix’s American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders’ can only be described as equal parts intriguing and haunting. That’s because it comprises not just archival footage but also exclusive interviews to really shine a light upon an alleged political scandal plus how writer Danny Casolaro lost his life because of it. Amongst those to thus be significantly mentioned throughout this original was one of the latter’s sources, Robert Nichols, a powerful individual we can only describe as utterly complex.
Who Was Robert Booth Nichols?
It was reportedly back when Robert was quite young that he first realized he didn’t have any interest in traditional jobs or jobs, driving him to go as far as to drop out of college in the early 1960s. He actually subsequently began serving as a salesman for a security alarm company, unaware he’d soon be recruited by “parties that claimed to be with or stated they were with U.S. intelligence.” The truth is he genuinely believed them since the assignments he was then offered were mainly related to domestic security or international relations, plus he was promised immunity from federal law.
As if that’s not enough, in Robert’s own words, he was even told never to pay taxes on his cash income unless ordered otherwise because it could give away his position as well as his importance. Yet then came his association with the underworld, especially New York mob bosses like John Gotti, ultimately also giving way to the FBI to look into him for suspicion of money laundering. That’s when it came to light he’d been a rather successful syndicate runner in Hawaii while he was younger and was now essentially a liaison between organized crime and organized intelligence.
In fact, per a former special agent in the aforementioned production, Robert “allegedly had ties to the intelligence areas, and he said he did a lot of covert work, black ops and that, around the world. It even got him a role in Steven Seagal’s ‘Under Siege,’ but we felt he was just a brilliant international con man with connections to the mob.” Though according to records, he really did have ties in the IRS, Ronald Reagan’s White House, plus the Department of Justice, making him quite an influential man in every sense. Some professionals have hence legitimately referred to him as a real-life Jason Bourne, considering his primary title was security asset.
Therefore, it’s also imperative to note Robert secretly opened up a bank account in Singapore in 1977, was a member of The First Intercontinental Development Company’s (FIDCO’s) board of directors from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, and even made millions through the mafia. He later went ahead to establish an organization of his own in Hawaii by the name of Pacific Rim Services in 1992, only to then somehow find himself getting employed by Ponzi schemer Sam Israel of Bayou Investments. That’s when his name finally came into the limelight — something he’d worked hard to avoid his whole life — as he was deposed regarding the latter in December 2008.
How Did Robert Booth Nichols Die?
As per reports, Robert Booth Nichols traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, shortly following his deposition, and it was there that he unexpectedly passed away on February 14, 2009, at age 66. While some claim he’d suffered a fatal blow to the head somehow, others allege he’d died of a heart attack mere hours before being cremated, yet neither has ever been confirmed or denied by any verifiable source. We should thus also mention that both the former FBI special agent specified above as well as computer expert Michael Riconosciuto wholeheartedly believe he’s still alive — that these claims of his demise are nothing more than another con by him to now lead a quiet, peaceful life.
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