Page 12 - PPIAC Newsletter Apr-May 2022

• The US State Department Nicaragua Travel Advisory and Country Information Page
• The Overseas Advisory Council Nicaragua Country Security Report

Prior to traveling we also attempted to confirm whether it was safe to do so, and what, if any, additional safety
measures we should consider. The retired FBI Special Agent knew a special agent at the FBI legat who confirmed
that it was generally safe to travel in Nicaragua as a tourist, and that we should keep a low investigative profile.
Based on this, and by reviewing the above documents, as well as the US State Department’s guidance on travel to
high-risk areas and the FBI’s business travel brochure, we decided that cartel violence, kidnapping, and general
crime risk was low, and to take the following safety precautions:
1. We notified the US State Department Embassy in Nicaragua of our planned travel dates, our purpose for
being there, where we would be staying, etc. The State Department warned us that there was a chance
that the NNP would not like us conducting our investigation and might arrest and/or deport us.
2. We enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program from the State Department.
3. We ensured that our banks and cellphone service were updated so that we could access our accounts and
make calls, use the internet, etc.
4. I also personally set a function on my smartwatch and phone that if a certain button were pressed
repeatedly within a certain time period multiple photos of my surroundings would be taken, a text
message would be sent to my wife, and GPS information would be sent to her as well. Luckily, that was
never needed, though I did accidentally activate it once in the hotel when my thumb spasmed as I was
turning on my phone screen! That was a scare for Irene.
5. We arranged with the same driver who had chauffeured the family when they were in Nicaragua to drive
us while we were there, at the recommendation of the family. This gave us more hyper-local knowledge,
as well as additional safety.

A note on insurance. We looked into whether we needed additional insurance for this investigation. The agency
that provided my insurance at the time explained that I was fully covered for intermittent cases like this, and that
no modifications to my insurance was needed, but warned me that if international missing persons cases became a
significant part of my business that I would need some kind of rider or modification made.

Forensics
This is not always needed, much less an option. However, as we had temporarily taken custody of the laptop and
cellphone, we had a digital forensics expert take an image of both devices and start analyzing them while we
traveled. He later provided his results to us while we were in Nicaragua. We returned the cellphone and laptop to
the family prior to leaving, so that they could monitor both devices for important information on social media etc.
while we were traveling. Unfortunately, the phone had been left in the locker when Abiodun disappeared, so
location data was not helpful in determining his condition. It was, however, helpful in finding places he’d been
prior to his disappearance, which we canvassed.

Equipment
It is difficult to predict everything one might need for a case like this, and I overpacked. Looking back, here are the
essentials that I ended up needing while I was there:
• Jungle boots
• Laptop/charger
• Solar charger and phone battery pack
• Cellphone/charger
• Large and small backpack
• Water pack
• First aid kit (incidentally, an older man in the hotel where I was at cut himself very badly and I had to treat
him)
• Boonie hat
• IDs