From the independent producer project and KCRW, I'm Bob Carlson, and this is unfictional.

When you know you're in trouble and you know the consequences could be big, what do you do?

Have you ever thought about just running? I remember the plane banked over the Statue of Liberty and all I could do was wave goodbye.

I never expected to be to be gone 31 years.

Unfictional is a program of personal stories, unforgettable characters, and radio movies.

And today on the program, the conspiracy, not the crime.

The story of one man who ran from the US government for 31 years. The story was produced by Max Miller in collaboration with the LA-based podcast Arrivals.

And one quick note, our subject and his family have asked that their names not be revealed in this story,

so you'll notice that we've honored that request.

From KCRW, it's unfiction.

And the conspiracy, not the crime.

Yeah, my name is and I'm 67 years old.

I ran in business. We built and sold welded aluminum yachts. People all over the

world wanted our boats. We had a lot of eccentric clients, you know, that were very rich.

You know, it was like living a millionaire's dream, really,

and that was the saddest part of when I had finally to leave.

Some young people, they came in, paid cash, and they would ask us to raise the water lines and tear out the interior.

And even then I was so naive that I didn't realize what they were doing

until finally they delivered the boats back and there were marijuana seeds in the bilges so it was clear that you know what was going on.

In 1977 the DEA came barging in my office and handcuffed me and took me away.

I spent the night in prison.

I had never been in trouble with the law. I don't even remember having

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