John Philip Nichols Wiki, Wife, Kids & Family: Real Story Of Octopus Murders Cast
John Philip Nichols was a controversial figure who played a key role in the Cabazon Indian Reservation scandal, which involved allegations of murder, espionage, arms dealing, and corruption.
He was also the subject of a Netflix docuseries, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, which explored his connection to the mysterious death of journalist Danny Casolaro in 1991. Who was John Philip Nichols, and what did he do on the Cabazon reservation? Here is his story.
From CIA Agent to Tribal Advisor
John Philip was born in 1925 and claimed to have worked as a CIA agent in the 1950s. He later became a labor and community organizer, managing union funds and helping people register to vote. He traveled around the world, working in South America, Europe, and Asia, and claimed to have directed mental health programs in various countries. He also said he had a Ph.D. in theology from a Canadian seminary, but he never completed his degree.
In 1978, he was hired as a financial advisor by the Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians, a small tribe located near Indio, California. He helped the tribe launch several businesses on their reservation, such as a casino, a bingo hall, a liquor store, and a cigarette factory. He also persuaded the tribe to partner with private companies and government agencies to develop high-tech projects, such as biometric identification systems, laser weapons, and chemical warfare agents. He claimed that these projects would benefit the tribe and the national security of the United States.
However, not everyone was happy with Nichols’ activities. Some tribal members accused him of embezzling funds, exploiting the tribe’s sovereignty, and endangering their lives. One of them was Fred Alvarez, a former tribal vice-chairman who opposed Nichols’ plans and threatened to expose them to the public. On June 29, 1981, Alvarez and two of his friends, Patricia Castro and Ralph Boger, were shot dead in Alvarez’s home. The murders were never solved, but many suspected that Nichols was behind them.
John Philip Nichols Wiki/Bio
| Name | John Philip Nichols |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Financial advisor, community organizer, former CIA agent |
| Born | 1925 |
| Died | March 17, 2001 |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Spouse | Name not known |
| Children | Several, including Bobby Moses Nichols |
| Known for | His involvement in the Cabazon Indian Reservation scandal and the Octopus conspiracy |
| Wikipedia | Not Live |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
The Octopus Connection (Real Story)
One of the people who investigated the Cabazon murders was Danny Casolaro, a freelance journalist who believed that they were part of a larger conspiracy involving the U.S. government, the mafia, and foreign intelligence agencies. He called this conspiracy “The Octopus”, and claimed that it was responsible for various crimes and cover-ups, such as the Iran-Contra affair, the October Surprise, the Inslaw case, and the BCCI scandal.
Casolaro’s main source of information was a former Cabazon employee named Michael Riconosciuto, who said he had worked with Nichols on the high-tech projects and had witnessed illegal activities and transactions. Riconosciuto also said he had evidence that linked Nichols to the Cabazon murders and other Octopus-related events. He agreed to share this evidence with Casolaro, and arranged to meet him in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in August 1991.
However, Casolaro never made it to the meeting. On August 10, 1991, he was found dead in his hotel room, with his wrists slashed and a note that said “To those who I love the most, please forgive me for the worst possible thing I could have done. Most of all, I’m sorry to my son. I know deep down inside that God will let me in.” The police ruled his death a suicide, but many of his friends and family doubted this conclusion. They suspected that he was killed by someone who wanted to silence him and stop his investigation.
Net Worth and Income Sources
According to some sources, John Nichols, a novelist and journalist, had a net worth of $100,000 – $1M as of 2024. However, this is not the same person as John Philip Nichols, the Cabazon Reserve Trial Administrator, who died in 2001.
I could not find any reliable source that estimated his net worth or income sources, but based on his involvement in various businesses and projects on the Cabazon reservation, he probably had a substantial amount of money and assets.
Wife and Kids
John Nichols was married to a woman whose name is not known publicly. He had several children, including a son named Bobby Moses Nichols, who spoke about his father in the Netflix docuseries American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders.
Bobby said that his father was a complex and secretive man, who had a lot of connections and influence, but also a lot of enemies and controversies. He said that he loved his father, but he also wanted to know the truth about his involvement in the Cabazon affair and the Octopus mystery.
The End of Nichols
John Philip was never charged with any crime related to the Cabazon scandal or the Octopus conspiracy. He continued to work as a tribal advisor until 1985, when he was arrested for tax evasion and fraud. He pleaded guilty and served two years in prison. He was released in 1987, and moved to Florida, where he lived a quiet life until his death in 2001. He died of a heart attack at an Indio hospital, at the age of 76.
He left behind a wife, whose name is not known, and several children, including a son named Bobby Moses Nichols, who spoke about his father in the Netflix docuseries. Bobby said that his father was a complex and secretive man, who had a lot of connections and influence, but also a lot of enemies and controversies. He said that he loved his father, but he also wanted to know the truth about his involvement in the Cabazon affair and the Octopus mystery.
Philip Nichols was a man who left behind a legacy of mystery, intrigue, and suspicion. He was a man who had a vision for the Cabazon tribe, but also a hidden agenda. He was a man who was part of a conspiracy, but also a victim of it. He was a man who was never fully understood, and who may never be.
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is a four-part docuseries that follows journalist Christian Hansen trying to solve the riddle of Danny Casolaro’s death and the conspiracy theory that he claimed would rewrite American history. Casolaro was a freelance journalist who believed that the Cabazon murders, the theft of Promis software, the Iran-Contra affair, and other scandals were part of a larger conspiracy involving the U.S. government, the mafia, and foreign intelligence agencies. He called this conspiracy “The Octopus”, and claimed that John Philip Nichols was one of the key players in it.
The docuseries explores the allegations and evidence that link Nichols to the Cabazon murders, the Promis software, the Octopus conspiracy, and Casolaro’s death. It also interviews some of the people who knew or worked with Nichols, such as his son Bobby, his former employee Michael Riconosciuto, and his alleged hitman Jimmy Hughes. The docuseries raises questions about Nichols’ motives, actions, and secrets, and whether he was part of a conspiracy or a victim of it.
