Michael Riconosciuto
Encyclopedia
Michael Riconosciuto is an electronics and computer expert who was convicted on seven drug-related charges in early 1992. Riconosciuto professed a defense centered on the Inslaw Affair (a legal case in which the U.S. Government was charged with illegal use of computer software). Riconosciuto claimed to have reprogrammed Inslaw's case-management program (Promis
) with a secret "back-door"
to allow clandestine tracking of individuals. Riconosciuto stated that he had been threatened by a justice department official. Riconosciuto provided an Affidavit detailing threats to a House Select Committee investigating the Inslaw Affair.
Riconoscuito has demonstrated some technical and scientific talents. According to an article originally published in the Village Voice:
Riconosciuto was employed as an engineer at a mine in Maricopa, California. Hercules Properties, Ltd. had raised financing and purchased a 167 acre (0.67582562 km²) contaminated waste-disposal site which had once been a portion of a 1300 acres (5.3 km²) TNT and fertilizer manufacturer known as Hercules Powder Works, and which was located along San Pablo Bay in Contra Costa County, California. ("The community of Hercules
, named for the factory, is still recognized by its rusting tanks and smoke stacks.")
These documents have been the subject of interest for recently reopened cold case homicide investigations.
case of Inslaw Inc. v. United States Government. Riconosciuto was under suspicion at the time for illegally modifying a people-tracking, case-management, software program that had been developed for the Department of Justice
by Washington, D.C.-based Inslaw Inc.. Riconosciuto declared that he had been under the direction of Earl Brian
, who was then a controlling shareholder and director of Hadron, Inc..
Hadron was a competitor to Inslaw and was also a government consulting firm with "several contracts with the Department of Defense and the CIA.".
Riconosciuto further declared that Peter Videnieks
, the contract manager overseeing the Inslaw contract for the management division of the DoJ, had stolen the Promis
software and had given it to Earl Brian
who "spearheaded" a plan for the "implementation of Promis in law
enforcement and intelligence agencies worldwide."
Riconosciuto claimed that Videnieks during a telephone conversation threatened Riconosciuto with DoJ reprisals if Riconosciuto should testify before the House Investigating Committee. According to Riconosciuto's claims, Videnieks said that there would be indictments brought against Riconosciuto and his father in connection with a criminal operation of a savings and loan institution in California; furthermore, Riconosciuto's wife would immediately loose a long and protracted child custody case against her former husband; and lastly, Riconosciuto would be prosecuted for perjury. Riconosciuto claimed to have made a tape recording of that conversation.
Within eight days of this declaration, Riconosciuto was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture, conspiracy to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and with distribution—a total of ten counts related to methamphetamine and methadone.
During his trial, Riconosciuto accused the Drug Enforcement Agency of stealing two copies of his tape. Then later he claimed a third was tossed by him into a Washington State swamp.
In addition to his claims of a government "frame up" related to Inslaw, Riconosciuto maintained that the chemical laboratory on his property was in use for the extraction of precious metals such as platinum in a highly-specialized mining operation.
Prosecutor's Management Information System
The Prosecutor's Management Information System is a database system developed by Inslaw Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based, information technology company....
) with a secret "back-door"
to allow clandestine tracking of individuals. Riconosciuto stated that he had been threatened by a justice department official. Riconosciuto provided an Affidavit detailing threats to a House Select Committee investigating the Inslaw Affair.
Early background
Details of Riconosciuto's early life are uncertain.Riconoscuito has demonstrated some technical and scientific talents. According to an article originally published in the Village Voice:
Riconosciuto was employed as an engineer at a mine in Maricopa, California. Hercules Properties, Ltd. had raised financing and purchased a 167 acre (0.67582562 km²) contaminated waste-disposal site which had once been a portion of a 1300 acres (5.3 km²) TNT and fertilizer manufacturer known as Hercules Powder Works, and which was located along San Pablo Bay in Contra Costa County, California. ("The community of Hercules
Hercules, California
Hercules is a city in western Contra Costa County, California. Situated along the coast of San Pablo Bay, it is located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, about northeast of San Francisco. The city has a 2010 population of 24,060 according to the U.S...
, named for the factory, is still recognized by its rusting tanks and smoke stacks.")
Iran
Riconosciuto has stated that he has knowledge of October Surprise;Cabazon
Nathan Baca's Emmy winning series "The Octopus Murders" featured documents from the archives of Michael Riconosciuto.These documents have been the subject of interest for recently reopened cold case homicide investigations.
Inslaw
On March 21, 1991, Riconosciuto filed an affidavit before a House judiciary committee investigating the bankruptcyBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
case of Inslaw Inc. v. United States Government. Riconosciuto was under suspicion at the time for illegally modifying a people-tracking, case-management, software program that had been developed for the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
by Washington, D.C.-based Inslaw Inc.. Riconosciuto declared that he had been under the direction of Earl Brian
Earl Brian
Dr. Earl Winfrey Brian, Jr. was a decorated combat surgeon with an aerial support unit for the United States Central Intelligence Agency's Vietnam War-era Phoenix Program...
, who was then a controlling shareholder and director of Hadron, Inc..
Hadron was a competitor to Inslaw and was also a government consulting firm with "several contracts with the Department of Defense and the CIA.".
Riconosciuto further declared that Peter Videnieks
Peter Videnieks
Peter Videnieks is a Commissioner with the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission. He was recently reappointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for a second two-year term expiring December 31, 2010....
, the contract manager overseeing the Inslaw contract for the management division of the DoJ, had stolen the Promis
Prosecutor's Management Information System
The Prosecutor's Management Information System is a database system developed by Inslaw Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based, information technology company....
software and had given it to Earl Brian
Earl Brian
Dr. Earl Winfrey Brian, Jr. was a decorated combat surgeon with an aerial support unit for the United States Central Intelligence Agency's Vietnam War-era Phoenix Program...
who "spearheaded" a plan for the "implementation of Promis in law
enforcement and intelligence agencies worldwide."
Riconosciuto claimed that Videnieks during a telephone conversation threatened Riconosciuto with DoJ reprisals if Riconosciuto should testify before the House Investigating Committee. According to Riconosciuto's claims, Videnieks said that there would be indictments brought against Riconosciuto and his father in connection with a criminal operation of a savings and loan institution in California; furthermore, Riconosciuto's wife would immediately loose a long and protracted child custody case against her former husband; and lastly, Riconosciuto would be prosecuted for perjury. Riconosciuto claimed to have made a tape recording of that conversation.
Within eight days of this declaration, Riconosciuto was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture, conspiracy to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and with distribution—a total of ten counts related to methamphetamine and methadone.
During his trial, Riconosciuto accused the Drug Enforcement Agency of stealing two copies of his tape. Then later he claimed a third was tossed by him into a Washington State swamp.
In addition to his claims of a government "frame up" related to Inslaw, Riconosciuto maintained that the chemical laboratory on his property was in use for the extraction of precious metals such as platinum in a highly-specialized mining operation.