Lawrence King's ascension to manager of the Franklin Community Federal Credit Union in 1970 marked the start of an era that would lead to one of the most complex and dark chapters in Nebraska's history. Founded by community activists, the credit union's mission was to uplift the impoverished and minority communities in Nebraska. King, leveraging his role, introduced innovative community initiatives, such as the management of welfare and disability checks, along with high-interest certificates of deposits that dwarfed market rates by 2-3 percentage points. This unsustainable financial strategy, reminiscent of a Ponzi scheme, necessitated a constant influx of new investments to pay out the burgeoning interests. King's ostentatious lifestyle, replete with penthouses, luxury cars, and jet-setting to lavish coastal parties, stood in stark contrast to the credit union's community-serving facade. His political influence burgeoned, notably epitomized by his performances at multiple Republican National Conventions and his personal connections with figures like Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. Beneath this veneer of success, however, social workers and law enforcement officials began to uncover children with disturbing accounts of abuse, satanic cult rituals, and trafficking. These chilling narratives implicated individuals at the highest echelons of society, including judges and politicians, revealing a clandestine network of exploitation and horror. Initial victims, including Shawneta Moore and the Webb children, came forward with testimonies that, despite being formally presented to law enforcement and legislative figures, were met with attempts to discredit their accounts and silence their voices. The financial improprieties—nearly $40 million siphoned from the credit union—eventually prompted State Senators Loran Schmit and Ernie Chambers to initiate the Franklin Committee, intending to unravel the web of financial deceit. Yet, within days, the committee was thrust into confronting the grotesque allegations of crimes against children. Investigator Gary Caradori's relentless pursuit for truth led to videotaped interviews with key witnesses like Alisha Owen and Paul Bonacci, whose harrowing accounts of abuse and satanic rituals implicated prominent community members. Despite facing formidable intimidation by the FBI, and the tragic, mysterious death of Caradori—which coincided with the disappearance of crucial photographic evidence—the narrative of systemic child abuse refused to be quelled.
