Danny Casolaro was an American investigative journalist who probed a complex web of organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering, and pirated software, which he termed "[[The Octopus]]." His investigation focused on the [[PROMIS Software Scandal]], the [[Iran-Contra Affair]], the [[Bank of Credit and Commerce International|BCCI]] scandal, and [[PROMIS]] software, among other interconnected events.[^1] Casolaro was found dead on August 10, 1991, in a hotel room in Martinsburg, West Virginia, with his wrists slashed. His death was officially ruled a suicide by local authorities. The investigation into his death concluded that there was no evidence suggesting the [[United States Department of Justice|DOJ]] influenced the local West Virginia authorities' investigation. Physical evidence in his hotel room, including no sign of forced entry, no evidence of struggle, a suicide note, undisturbed personal effects, and the absence of footprints other than his own, strongly supported the suicide conclusion. Subsequent tests, such as handwriting analysis of the suicide note and fingerprint analysis of the bathroom, corroborated this. The autopsy found the cause of death to be hemorrhage from multiple wrist wounds, with no evidence of unconsciousness or debilitation. Police interviews of those who knew Casolaro found no substantial evidence of foul play. The investigation also noted that Casolaro had ample reason to commit suicide, being unemployed for months, dependent on family for financial assistance, facing a balloon mortgage, and having a prospective publisher refuse to advance him money for his book about "The Octopus."[^1][^2] His notes and investigations suggested a connection between the "[[The Octopus]]" and a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] 'Old Boy' network involved in arms and drug trafficking since the 1950s. Casolaro's work also delved into the [[Wackenhut Corporation]], the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]] joint venture, and the alleged modification and sale of the [[PROMIS Software Scandal|PROMIS]] software to foreign governments.[^1] Prior to his death, Casolaro had been in contact with key figures in his investigation, including [[Michael Riconosciuto]] and [[Robert Booth Nichols]]. He was reportedly investigating a connection between [[Michael Abbell]], a former Justice Department official, and the [[Cali Drug Cartel]].[^1] ### Bibliography * **Behold, A Pale Horse** (Proposed book title - later changed to The Octopus) ### Footnotes [^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010. [^2]: U.S. Department of Justice. *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of Inslaw, Inc.* March 1993. (Hereafter, "Bua Report")