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Earl Brian was a businessman and an associate of Edwin Meese. He served in Governor Ronald Reagan's cabinet in California. Brian became a central figure in the PROMIS Software Scandal, alleged to have played a key role in the pirating and distribution of the PROMIS software.1
Role in PROMIS Software Scandal
Brian was accused of spearheading a plan for the worldwide use of the modified PROMIS software. Michael Riconosciuto claimed that Brian made a copy of the PROMIS software available to him through Wackenhut Corporation after acquiring it from Peter Videnieks, a United States Department of Justice contracting official. Riconosciuto performed modifications to PROMIS for its global implementation in law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including specific adaptations for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in Canada. It was Riconosciuto's understanding that Brian had sold this modified version of PROMIS to the Canadian Government.1
Brian was also alleged to have been involved in a scheme to raise off-the-books money for covert government operations through the sale of the stolen PROMIS software. The text states that $6 million worth of software stolen from Bill Hamilton and Nancy Hamilton, co-owners of INSLAW, was allegedly sold by the United States Department of Justice through Brian for this purpose.1
October Surprise Allegations
Michael Riconosciuto claimed that he and Earl Brian traveled to Iran in 1980 and paid $40 million to Iranian officials to persuade them not to release the United States hostages before Ronald Reagan's presidential inauguration. This allegation linked the PROMIS Software Scandal to the October Surprise affair, creating a "domino effect" in Washington D.C. and leading to numerous investigations and media attention.1
Connections and Testimony
Brian owned Hadron Company at the time of Michael Riconosciuto's trial. During the trial, Peter Videnieks testified that he did not know Brian, despite being questioned about his familiarity with Hadron Company and its ownership. Videnieks was evasive about his knowledge of Brian's connection to Hadron.1
Footnotes
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Seymour, Cheri. The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010. ↩︎