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Omaha, Nebraska

Ground zero for the Franklin scandal — the 1980s child trafficking ring widely considered the structural predecessor to the Epstein operation.

FieldDetails
RegionOmaha, Nebraska; Boys Town; Lincoln
Deaths6+ connected to the Franklin investigation
Key OperationFranklin Scandal
Key FiguresLawrence "Larry" King Jr., Gary Caradori, John DeCamp, Paul Bonacci

Why Omaha Matters​

In 1988, the Franklin Community Federal Credit Union in Omaha was raided, revealing a $40 million embezzlement scheme by its manager, Lawrence E. "Larry" King Jr. — a prominent Black Republican who sang the national anthem at the 1984 Republican National Convention. What followed was one of the most disturbing child abuse investigations in American history, with multiple victims alleging they were trafficked to parties attended by powerful men in Omaha and Washington DC.

The investigation was systematically shut down: the lead investigator's plane disintegrated mid-air, a state grand jury declared the allegations a "hoax," and two accusers were jailed for perjury. Researcher Nick Bryant later stated: "What we are seeing with Jeffrey Epstein, we saw in the Franklin scandal, although I think the Franklin pandering network was much, much bigger."

Deaths Connected to the Franklin Scandal​

  • Gary Caradori (1990, age unknown) — HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS. Private investigator hired by the Nebraska Legislature. His plane disintegrated mid-air near Ashton, Illinois, shortly after he reportedly obtained photographic evidence. Called his boss to say he had them "by the short hairs" the night before the crash. His 8-year-old son Andrew was also killed. Briefcase of evidence never recovered.
  • Ted Gunderson — Former FBI Special Agent in Charge who investigated the Franklin case and described "brownstone operations" (intelligence-run sexual blackmail using minors). Died of bladder cancer in 2011; associates allege arsenic poisoning.
  • Aaron Owen — 17-year-old brother of accuser Alisha Owen. Found hanged in his cell at Lincoln Correctional Center shortly before her perjury trial (November 1990). Ruled suicide despite reported indications of beating.
  • Troy Boner — Victim who recanted under pressure. Walked into a New Mexico hospital screaming "they're after me because of this book" (The Franklin Cover-Up). Was sedated, placed in a room, and found dead the next morning bleeding from the mouth (late 2003).
  • Shawn Boner — Brother of Troy Boner. Died of gunshot wound allegedly playing Russian Roulette at Capehart military housing near Offutt Air Force Base (January 1991).
  • Kathleen Sorenson — Original complainant and foster parent. Killed in head-on car collision on Highway 30 (October 1989). Retired FBI agent Ted Gunderson stated she was murdered.
  • Charlie Rogers — Employee and purported lover of Larry King. Alleged suicide (1986).

Boys Town​

Boys Town, a Catholic home for troubled youth located just west of Omaha, was allegedly a source of victims for the trafficking ring. Children from Boys Town were allegedly among those trafficked to parties attended by powerful men in Omaha and Washington DC.

Surprising Details​

  • $40M embezzlement was the least of it: The Franklin Credit Union collapse revealed $39.4 million in fraud and embezzlement — but the real scandal was the allegations that followed. Multiple victims alleged they were trafficked to parties attended by powerful men in both Omaha and Washington DC as minors.
  • Larry King sang at the 1984 Republican National Convention: King was the fastest-rising African-American star in the Republican Party. He was well-connected enough to sing the national anthem at the RNC — making the allegations about his operation particularly explosive for the political establishment.
  • Caradori's plane disintegrated mid-air: The lead investigator's Piper Saratoga broke apart in flight near Ashton, Illinois, between 2:40 and 2:57 a.m. on July 11, 1990. His 8-year-old son Andrew was also killed. The night before, Caradori reportedly called his boss and said he had the perpetrators "by the short hairs." His briefcase of evidence was never recovered. No definitive cause for the crash has been established.
  • Accusers were jailed, not abusers: After state and federal grand juries declared the allegations a "carefully crafted hoax" in late 1990, two of the accusers — Alisha Owen and Paul Bonacci — were charged with perjury. Owen served nearly five years in prison. Bonacci later won a $1 million civil judgment against Larry King in a default ruling.
  • Connected to Craig Spence in DC: Craig Spence, the DC lobbyist who organized midnight White House tours with male prostitutes and wired his home for blackmail, was connected to the same network. Spence was found dead in a Boston hotel room shortly after the Washington Times exposed the operation.
  • Seven connected deaths: Aaron Owen (hanged in cell before sister's trial), Troy Boner (found dead in hospital after recanting), Shawn Boner (shot playing "Russian Roulette" at military housing), Kathleen Sorenson (head-on car crash), Charlie Rogers (alleged suicide), and Caradori and his son — all died before the investigation concluded.
  • Nick Bryant's comparison: Investigative journalist Nick Bryant, who spent years investigating the Franklin case, stated: "What we are seeing with Jeffrey Epstein, we saw in the Franklin scandal, although I think the Franklin pandering network was much, much bigger."

Sources​

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