In the Shadow of Papillon: Seven Years of Hell in Venezuela's Prison System

Following the collapse of his business and the loss of his home, Frank Kane made a catastrophic decision—he agreed to smuggle cocaine out of Venezuela. Almost inevitably, he and his girlfriend Sam were caught. Frank tells the story of their 10-year sentence in the overcrowded Venezuelan prison system, notorious for official corruption and abuse, and rife with weapons and gangs. He tells of being held in the remote El Dorado prison better known for being the one-time home of Henri Charrière, or Papillon. He tells of witnessing countless murders as gang leaders fought for power, of having to become as ruthless as his fellow inmates in order to survive, and of succumbing to drugs in an attempt to dull the reality of the horrendous conditions. After enduring years of systematic beatings by the guards and attempts on his life by inmates, Frank suffered more than one breakdown and was riddled with disease, yet somehow found the strength to survive until his release in 2004.