When the Chinaman Spoke

The compelling true story of an accomplished safe cracker, jewel thief, escape artist and the man who FIRST broke into the Watergate. He even spent 3 months on Death Row in Washington DC. He was also briefly involved with the theft of the 'Star of India' in 1965. He was convicted in 1965 and sentenced to 14 years for safecracking. He eventually overturned this conviction in 1968. He then turned his hand to forgery, netting large amounts of money. He slipped into drug addiction and his personal battle against this, makes harrowing reading. In 1970 he was co-erced into working undercover with the DEA for 6 months before he fled the US with a Mafia price on his head. He then used this chance of a clean break in a new country to eventually, become a successful businessman, college lecturer, elected councillor and a respected pillar of the local community. But no one knew of his past until now with the release of this book. Riveting reading, full of humour, pathos and historical significance.