Robert Cohen

Florida resident Robert Cohen was abducted and held for ransom, while in Costa Rica on what he believed to be a business trip.

In February 2009, Matthew Nolan the brother of Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight, was arrested by FBI agents, in connection with Cohen's kidnapping and murder in Costa Rica. He faces extradition to Costa Rica, as well as an investigation for possible bank fraud.Chicago Sun Times: Brother ...Arrested (March 20, 2009)

According to reports, Cohen was lured into meeting Nolan in a hotel, by the promise of a business deal. He allegedly owed an unnamed Florida man $7 million, and Nolan, along with his supposed accomplice Douglas Mejia, held him in Costa Rica while they demanded money from Cohen's family, to repay the debt. When Cohen's family did not produce the requested amount, he was murdered.Chicago Sun Times: Brother ...Arrested (March 20, 2009)

In June 2007, A Victim Compensation Bill was signed into Florida law, which provides support to Florida residents who have violent crimes committed against them while traveling outside of the United States. The bill allows for compensation, medical care and emergency funds to be given to victims from the Attorney General's Crime Victims Compensation Fund. Robert Cohen's daughter Alisha worked with legislators to make the bill a law, after her father's brutal death. She attended the bill signing with her mother and stated, "Unfortunately, we know firsthand the struggle Florida crime victims and their families have faced in the past and can say with assurance how invaluable the provisions of this new law will be."Florida Legal: ...Victim Compensation Bill (June 13, 2007)