Michael L. Taylor

Last updated
Michael L. Taylor
Born Staten Island, NY
Service/branchU.S. Army Special Forces
Unit10th Special Forces
11th Special Forces

Michael L. Taylor, also known as Mike Taylor, is a U.S. Special Forces (Green Beret) military veteran who served in the U.S. Army and ran his own independent security company. He is most notable for his work rescuing abducted children and providing risk assessment to large public and private organizations. Taylor was responsible for planning and executing the mission to extract Nissan/Renault executive Carlos Ghosn from Japan and later served more than two years in prison for his involvement with Ghosn.

Contents

Early life and education

Taylor was born in Staten Island New York. His stepfather was in the U.S. Army [1]   and his family eventually settled in Ayer, Massachusetts where his father was stationed at Fort Devens Military Base. Taylor attended Ayer High School where he was co-captain of the football team [2]   and voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” [3]

Military career

Following high school Taylor chose to enlist in the military, rather than pursue a college degree. He participated in an experimental program [4]   which allowed new recruits to bypass certain criteria in order to be selected for the U.S. Special Forces. [5]   After completing his training at the John F. Kennedy U.S. Institute of Military Assistance, Special Forces School, [4]  he was stationed at Fort Devens, in Massachusetts [4]   and admitted to the elite 10th Special Forces, or Green Beret, unit. [4]  Taylor also served in the 11th Special Forces unit. [6]

As a Special Forces soldier, Taylor and other operatives were trained in HALO operations (High Altitude Low Opening) carrying Special Atomic Demolition Munition (SADM) devices. [2]   Their mission was to deploy their parachutes at low altitudes and detonate the devices in the event of a Soviet invasion of Europe. [5]

In the early 1980s, Taylor was sent to Lebanon to train the Lebanese Army following the assassination Bachir Gemayel. [5]  He served on one of the first US Mobile Training Teams (MTT) to be deployed in Lebanon. [7]  Taylor was on the way to the US Embassy in Beirut when a bomb blew up the building in April 1983. He pulled survivors from the destroyed building. [8]    

He left the active army in 1983 and returned to Lebanon to work as a private security contractor, helping to train military forces. [5]

Private security work

Following his time in the military, Taylor returned to the United States and moved to Harvard, Massachusetts. From 1988 to 1991, he used his experience in the military as an undercover source requested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Customs, ATF, and Department of Treasury to break up an international drug and money laundering organization. The operation resulted in the seizure of three tons of hashish [9]   with a street value in excess of $100 million destined for Boston.  One person later described Taylor as “the key player and critical link in one of the most important Federal Law enforcement operations in history.” [9]

In 1993, Taylor established a private security corporation that provided risk mitigation services for corporations, government agencies, and high-profile individuals. One of the firm's early assignments was to conduct a vulnerability assessment for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey following the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. [10] In 1994 the firm changed its name to American International Security Corporation. [11]

The business was initially focused on protection services but gained work through referrals from the State Department and FBI. The work expanded to include assisting parents whose children had been abducted and taken overseas by former spouses. [12]

Between 1991 and 1999, Taylor and his company provided services to approximately 12 families in the United States whose children were abducted by family members and taken illegally to foreign territories. [13]

Clients of American International Security included ABC, 20th Century Fox, Signature Flight Support, [5] Delta Airlines, Disney, and several Fortune 50 corporations. The company has provided personal protection to individuals, employing former military personnel. [9]

Following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, American International Security Corp employed nearly 2,000 people, many of whom were former members of Special Forces or the intelligence community. During the war, Taylor spent long periods of time in both Iraq and Afghanistan [3] working for the U.S. government helping ensure the safe delivery of supplies. [1]

During a 2005 labor dispute between Northwest Airlines and their mechanic's union, American International Security was hired to provide security for senior executives of the airline. After Northwest declared bankruptcy later that same year, American International Security claimed  it was owed roughly $1.3 million by Northwest. [14]

In 2007, American International Security secured a Pentagon contract to train Afghan special-forces troops at a fee totaling $54 million. [15]

In December 2008, Taylor led the team that included Duane “Dewey” Clarridge to assist in seeking the release of New York Times reporter, David Rohde, who had been kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan. [16] [17] Seven months later, in June 2009, Rohde managed to escape on his own. [18]

American International Security Corporation's work included collecting intelligence on activity in Pakistan and Afghanistan to share with military officials about possible threats to American forces. [19] The firm was part of a small network of private companies [20] formed in 2009 by the U.S. Defense Department to track suspected militants and the location of insurgent camps. [19]

American International Security was dissolved in 2014. [11]

Involvement with Carlos Ghosn

In December 2019, news broke that former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn, who was on bail in Japan, had fled to Lebanon with the assistance of an American former Special Operations soldier and his son. [21]

An Interpol Red Notice was issued in early 2020 for Taylor and his son Peter for their alleged involvement in smuggling Ghosn out of Japan.  In May 2020, [22]   the two were arrested  at their home in Harvard, Massachusetts and held at the Norfolk County Correctional Facility to await extradition to Japan. [23]

The Taylor family set up a Change.org petition to raise public awareness of his efforts to fight extradition. [24]

Despite efforts by their lawyers, the Taylors were denied bail in July 2020 and continued to be detained in Massachusetts because prosecutors argued that the two represented a flight risk. [25]   In court, U.S. prosecutors said Ghosn had wired more than $860,000 to a company linked to Peter Taylor shortly before the escape and that Ghosn's son later made $500,000 in cryptocurrency payments to the Taylors. [26] Japanese prosecutors claimed that roughly $400,000 of the initial $860,000 was spent on a private jet. [27]

Following their arrest, Taylor and his son fought extradition for ten months (see: Taylor v. McDermott) arguing that at the time of the escape there was no law in Japan against assisting in a “bail jump” and that the Japanese prison conditions are inhumane. [28] In 2023, the Japanese parliament revised the country's laws on bail jumping in response to the escape of Ghosn. [29]

In October 2020, the U.S. Department of State agreed to turn the two men over to Japan, [30]  but a court judge put the extradition on hold after Taylor's lawyers filed an emergency petition. The judge later rejected the petition and Taylor's lawyers appealed to the federal appeals court. [26]

That same month, Taylor's attorney was assured by U.S. prosecutors that the government would not seek to surrender the Taylors to Japan before February 12, 2021. [26]

The Taylors aggressively lobbied the Trump Administration, hiring attorneys Abbe Lowell, who had represented Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Ty Cobb, a former Trump White House General Counsel. [26]

Despite their efforts, the Taylors were extradited to Japan in March 2021 [31]   and held in detention in Japan. [32]   The two appeared before a Japanese court in June [27] and apologized for providing aid to Ghosn. [32]   Michael Taylor received a sentence of two years while Peter Taylor was ordered to serve 20 months in prison. [33]

Neither of the Taylors were given credit in Japan for the ten months they were held in the United States awaiting extradition. [1]

Michael Taylor was imprisoned at the Fuchu Detention Center. [34]   He was held in an unheated cell with only a thin mat providing protection from the concrete floor. Taylor developed frostbite while working in a prison factory where inmates are prohibited from wearing gloves and required to wash their hands multiple times a day in cold water. [34]

During his imprisonment, Taylor spent 17 months in solitary confinement. He was required to tear paper into small pieces as a form of psychological torture. [35]

In October 2022, after serving 20 months in a Japanese prison, Taylor and his son were returned to the United States. [33]

As of July 2023, Taylor had not been reimbursed in full by Ghosn for $1 million in legal fees incurred by Taylor following his arrest. [35]

Film and television

Taylor sold the rights to his life story to MGM/UA TV in 2022. The studio has announced plans for a feature-length film starring actor Sam Rockwell  who will serve as executive producer of the TV series, along with Mark Berger. The series will focus on Taylor's early life as Special Forces soldier and his years as a private security consultant. [36]  

Taylor appears in the 2023 AppleTV+ documentary [37] Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn. [38]

Vitamin1

Taylor launched a bottled healthy hydration drink called VITAMIN 1. [3] The beverage was the official sports drink of the American football camp run by Rob Gronkowski, formerly of the New England Patriots. [5]

Personal life

Taylor speaks Norwegian and Arabic.[ citation needed ] In 1985, he married Lamia Abboud, a Lebanese national. [5] Together the couple have three children, two of whom attended college in Lebanon. [15]   Taylor and his wife own a home in Beirut. [1]

Taylor lives in Harvard, Massachusetts. He was the football coach at Lawrence Academy, a private school in Groton, MA from 2007 to 2011. [39]    All three of his sons played for the team  and Taylor was among the largest individual donors to the school at the time. Taylor donated the necessary funds to pay for a new football field at the school. Under Taylor's leadership, the school won two ISL football titles and a NEPSAC Bowl, with a record of 17–1. A number of Taylor's players went on to sign with NCAA Division I schools. [40]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan</span> Japanese automobile manufacturer

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., commonly known as Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands, and formerly the Datsun brand, with in-house performance tuning products under the Nismo and Autech brands. The company traces back to the beginnings of the 20th century, with the Nissan zaibatsu, now called Nissan Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Taylor (Liberian politician)</span> President of Liberia from 1997 to 2003

Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor is a Liberian former politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 22nd president of Liberia from 2 August 1997 until his resignation on 11 August 2003 as a result of the Second Liberian Civil War and growing international pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infiniti</span> Japanese luxury car brand, a subsidiary of Nissan

Infiniti is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Nissan. Infiniti officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989, in North America. The marketing network for Infiniti-branded vehicles included dealers in over 50 countries in the 2010s. As of 2020, there were 25 markets served by new car dealers. The main markets are North America, China, and Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Ghosn</span> Businessman and former automotive executive (born 1954)

Carlos Ghosn is a Lebanese, Brazilian and French businessman, a former automotive executive, and an international fugitive. Ghosn was the CEO of Michelin North America, chairman and CEO of Renault, chairman of AvtoVAZ, chairman and CEO of Nissan, and chairman of Mitsubishi Motors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10th Special Forces Group (United States)</span> US Army Special Forces unit

The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG (A), or 10th Group) is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) Group. 10th Group is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare (UW), foreign internal defense (FID), direct action (DA), counterinsurgency, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, information operations, counter-proliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and security force assistance. 10th Group is responsible for operations within the EUCOM area of responsibility, as part of Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR).

The Maze Prison escape took place on 25 September 1983 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. HM Prison Maze was a maximum security prison considered to be one of the most escape-proof prisons in Europe. It held prisoners suspected of taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles, with separate wings for loyalists and for republicans. In the biggest prison escape in UK history, 38 Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners escaped from H-Block 7 (H7) of the prison. One prison officer died of a heart attack during the escape and twenty others were injured, including two who were shot with guns that had been smuggled into the prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military beret</span> Berets as part of a military uniform

Troops began wearing berets as a part of the headgear of military uniforms in some European countries during the 19th century; since the mid-20th century, they have become a component of the uniforms of many armed forces throughout the world. Military berets are usually pushed to the right to free the shoulder that bears the rifle on most soldiers, but the armies of some countries, mostly within Europe, South America, and Asia, have influenced the push to the left.

Abdullah Senussi is a Libyan national who was the intelligence chief and brother-in-law of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. He was married to Gaddafi's sister-in-law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance</span> French-Japanese strategic alliance

The Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, originally known as the Renault–Nissan Alliance, is a French-Japanese strategic alliance between the automobile manufacturers Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, which together sell more than 1 in 9 vehicles worldwide. Renault and Nissan are strategic partners since 1999 and have nearly 450,000 employees and control eight major brands: Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Renault Korea, Dacia, Alpine, and Venucia. The car group sold 10.6 million vehicles worldwide in 2017, making it the leading light vehicle manufacturing group in the world. The Alliance adopted its current name in September 2017, one year after Nissan acquired a controlling interest in Mitsubishi and subsequently made Mitsubishi an equal partner in the Alliance.

Abbe David Lowell is an American defense attorney who has represented several high-profile defendants. Some of the well known political figures Lowell has represented include Bob Menendez, John Edwards, Jared Kushner, Hunter Biden, Jim Wright, Dan Rostenkowski, Charles Keating, Joseph McDade, Joe Bruno, Gary Condit, and Jim Gibbons.

Toshiyuki Shiga is a Japanese business executive. He served as the chief operating officer of Nissan from 2005 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Tavares</span> Portuguese businessman (born 1958)

Carlos Antunes Tavares Dias is a Portuguese businessman. He is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Stellantis, the world's fourth largest automaker by sales, formed by the merger of the PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. He was formerly the chief operating officer at Renault.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricardo Karam</span>

Ricardo Karam is a Lebanese television presenter, producer, talk-show host, author and public speaker. Over the years, he has created several shows, series and documentaries, and founded RK Productions which has taken charge of producing all his projects, as well as Peacomms and TAKREEM, TAKREEM AMERICA and TAKminds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiroto Saikawa</span>

Hiroto Saikawa is the former president and former CEO of Nissan.

Events in the year 2019 in Lebanon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mapa Group</span> Turkish conglomerate

Mapa Group is a Turkish conglomerate founded by Mehmet Nazif Günal. They were formerly named MNG Group of Companies and MNG Şirketler Grubu Holding A.Ş. is the holding company of the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clíver Alcalá Cordones</span>

Cliver Antonio Alcalá Cordones, is a retired Venezuelan major general and a member of the Bolivarian Army. Clíver Alcalá was one of the soldiers who participated in the attempted coup d'état against President Carlos Andrés Pérez in February 1992, and served as chief of garrison in the cities of both Valencia and Maracay, and finally as general commander of the Integral Defense Region in Guayana (REDI-Guayana). Alcalá Cordones was discharged from the Army on 5 July 2013 during the presidency of Nicolás Maduro.

Jordan Guy MacDonald Goudreau is a Canadian-American mercenary who claimed responsibility for organizing the Macuto Bay incursion into Venezuelan territory on 3 May 2020. He is the owner and operator of a private security firm based in Florida called Silvercorp USA, which he set up in 2018. Goudreau previously served in the Canadian Armed Forces and the U.S. Army Special Forces.

Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins is an American convicted spy for Russia and a former military officer in the U.S. Army's Special Forces. In August 2020, he was arrested and charged with conspiracy to provide classified defense information to Russian intelligence services. Debbins pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit espionage on November 18, 2020.

Nidal Yehya is a Lebanese diplomat currently serving as Lebanon's ambassador to Japan. He was previously the ambassador for Lebanon in Senegal and Australia, Consul of the embassies in Iran and Venezuela, the Consul General of the embassy in Egypt, and the Deputy Minister of the embassy in Serbia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Maremont, Mark; Kostov, Nick (2020-01-18). "Behind Ghosn's Escape, an Ex-Green Beret With a Beef About His Own Time in Jail". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  2. 1 2 Arnett, Dugan; Saltzman, Jonathan (January 12, 2020). "The story behind the Mass. native and ex-soldier who purportedly helped former Nissan CEO escape - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  3. 1 2 3 "Exclusive: How Carlos Ghosn Escaped Japan, According to the Ex-Green Beret Who Snuck Him Out". Vanity Fair. 2020-07-23. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Updated Opposition to Japan's Requested Extradition of Michael and Peter Taylor and Request for Review of Prior Administration's Authorization" (PDF). Reuters.com. February 3, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Chaffin, Joshua; Pitel, Laura (2020-05-20). "The Green Beret ex-con who allegedly helped Carlos Ghosn escape". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  6. ↑ "Green Beret Seeks Halt to Extradition" (PDF). SOF News Monthly Journal. p. 49.
  7. ↑ "Green Beret allegedly smuggled Carlos Ghosn from Japan". www.audacy.com. 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  8. ↑ Roush, Patricia (2003-04-01). At Any Price: How America Betrayed My Kidnapped Daughters for Saudi Oil. HarperChristian + ORM. ISBN   978-1-4185-6527-5.
  9. 1 2 3 By David Voreacos, Neil Weinberg and Greg Farrell Bloomberg News (2020-01-05). "Ghosn's companions on escape included former Green Beret with rap sheet". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  10. ↑ "The Boston Globe 12 Sep 2001, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  11. 1 2 "AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORP". opencorporates.com. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  12. ↑ Geller, Adam. "The former Green Beret arrested in Mass. in ex-Nissan CEO's escape has quite the past. Here's what we know about him". www.boston.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  13. ↑ "The San Francisco Examiner 20 Apr 1997, page 219". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  14. ↑ "NWA Dug Deep to Protect Execs During Strike". Aviation Pros. 2006-02-16. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  15. 1 2 "How Carlos Ghosn Became the World's Most Famous Fugitive". Bloomberg.com. 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  16. ↑ Mazzetti, Mark (2013-04-09). The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth. Penguin. ISBN   978-1-101-61794-6.
  17. ↑ Rohde, David; Mulvihill, Kristen (2010-11-30). A Rope and a Prayer: The Story of a Kidnapping. Penguin. ISBN   978-1-101-44539-6.
  18. ↑ "Duane R. Clarridge, Brash Spy Who Fought Terror Networks, Dies at 83 (Published 2016)". 2016-04-11. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  19. 1 2 "Contractors tied to effort to track, kill militants". NBC News. 2010-03-15. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  20. ↑ "The Sacramento Bee 15 Mar 2010, page 1". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  21. ↑ "Ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn: How I escaped Japan in a box". BBC News. 2021-07-13. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  22. ↑ "EXPLAINER: Who are Americans on trial in Ghosn's escape". AP News. 2021-06-13. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  23. ↑ "Former Green Beret speaks out after allegedly smuggling former Nissan exec". Fox Business News. November 18, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Carlos Ghosn's Accused Escape Plotters Tap Lobbyists Over Extradition". Bloomberg.com. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  25. ↑ "No bail for 2 accused of helping ex-Nissan boss escape Japan". AP News. 2020-07-10. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Man wanted in Carlos Ghosn's escape accuses US of 'betrayal'". AP News. 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  27. 1 2 Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (2021-07-19). "Two Americans who helped ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn flee Japan are sentenced to prison". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  28. ↑ "Men accused of helping ex-Nissan boss flee Japan challenge U.S. extradition case". Reuters. 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  29. ↑ NEWS, KYODO. "Japan enacts law for GPS trackers to prevent int'l bail jumping". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  30. ↑ Alanna Durkin Richer (2020-11-01). "DOJ lawyers say bid by Special Forces vet and his son to stop extradition to Japan is 'meritless'". Army Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  31. ↑ Alanna Durkin Richer (2020-10-29). "Japan's extradition request OK'd for Special Forces vet, son accused in ex-Nissan boss' escape". Army Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  32. 1 2 "Ghosn accomplice 'deeply regrets' helping former Nissan boss escape Japan". Automotive News Europe. 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  33. 1 2 "Carlos Ghosn's escape helpers sent back to U.S." Automotive News Europe. 2022-11-06. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  34. 1 2 "American Behind Carlos Ghosn Escape Is Ailing in Japanese Prison, Lawyers Say (Published 2022)". 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  35. 1 2 Kaplan, Michael (2023-08-18). "We stuffed Carlos Ghosn in 3-foot box to escape Japan: He owes us $1M". The New York Post. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  36. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2020-12-18). "Sam Rockwell To Play Ex-Green Beret Michael Taylor In Film About Carlos Ghosn's Extraction & Produce Prequel Series For MGM/UA TV". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  37. ↑ Grater, Tom (2021-09-29). "Apple TV+ Orders Carlos Ghosn Doc Series From Director James Jones & 'Senna', 'Diego Maradona' Producers". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  38. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (2023-07-25). "Carlos Ghosn Docuseries Director and Green Beret Who Helped Exec Escape on How the Apple TV+ Show 'Tells the Whole Spectrum of the Story' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  39. ↑ "Lawrence Academy not short on talent". ESPN.com. 2010-09-22. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  40. ↑ "LA's senior class comes full circle". ESPN.com. 2011-02-04. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.