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In this episode of American Greed...

Case 1: Two Brothers, Two Murders

Andrew Kissel | Real Estate Mogul
Andrew Kissel
Real Estate Mogul
Robert Kissel | Investment Banker
Robert Kissel
Investment Banker
Nancy Kissel | The Murderer
Nancy Kissel
The Murderer

Andrew’s Rich Life
He’s a New England Real Estate mogul. A multi-millionaire with a beautiful family. Andrew has the best... 30 cars, a yacht and an $18 million estate. And, Andrew wants to be the best... especially when competing with younger brother Rob.

Rob's High-Style Life
By most accounts, Robert is more handsome and popular... and better than Andrew at everything from sports to school. Rob becomes a successful investment banker with a million dollar salary and a luxurious life abroad with wife Nancy and the kids.

Too Good to be True?
Appearances and reality are two very different things. Underneath Rob’s perfect veneer lie a crumbling marriage, infidelity and murder. Andrew’s has secrets, about his life, his marriage and his business dealings.

American Greed profiles the lives of two brothers whose lives tragically end in murder..


Current DateTime: 11:26:26 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 27087324

Producer's Notes

By Tania Lindsay, Producer, "American Greed"

The story of the Kissel brothers, who were both murdered in separate incidents two years apart, is tragic on so many levels. Two sensational cases of money, sex and power made headlines around the world. It was a voyeuristic peek into the extreme dysfunction of a wealthy family. But there is more to it than that. There are children involved who have lost their parents, there are parents who have lost their children. And too many promising lives gone horribly awry. It’s one of those stories that gets under your skin and nags with the unanswered question, why?

For the Robert Kissel murder case, we traveled to Hong Kong, China, and tried extensively to gain access to Nancy Kissel at the Tai Lam Centre for Women. Set in the lush green hills on the outskirts of the city, the prison holds 263 inmates. Nancy Kissel is the only foreigner serving a life sentence. We learned that Nancy has become fluent in Mandarin Chinese and works daily on her case. She has one final appeal to Hong Kong’s highest court, but not foranother two years.

Nancy still maintains that her actions were done in self-defense and that Rob was abusing her, but she has never made a public statement about her crime. She has no contact with herchildren.

In the case of Andrew Kissel, the story continues. Cousins Carlos and Leonard Trujillo are expected to stand trial for the murder sometime in 2009. Most of the information in the case is sealed because witnesses have reported being afraid for their lives. Leonard Trujillo’s attorney recently hired famed medical examiner Dr. Michael Baden to take a closer look at Andrew’s time of death. Whatever happens with the trial, it’s doubtful that the whole truth will ever be known.

Some sensational reports have speculated on a Kissel family “curse,” others point the finger of blame at the family patriarch, Bill Kissel. He’s been accused of being “evil” and of driving his sons to a relentless quest for money and power. Although he has never granted an on-camera interview, what we found when speaking to him by phone was a heartbroken father. A man who deeply misses his sons, both of them – and whose life will be forever filled with what-ifs.

Mr. Kissel recently moved across the country to be closer to his daughter Jane and his grandchildren, including Rob and Nancy Kissel’s three children who are being raised by Jane and her husband along with their own kids. Bill Kissel says the grandchildren are doing great, and that they also spend time with their cousins, Andrew’s children, who are still in Connecticut with their mother.

After a family saga like this, the best one can hope for is that somehow, against all odds, the children turn out okay.

SHOW TIMES

Episode 3: Art Heist & Medical Scams
Friday, November 13th  10p | 1a ET
Wednesday, November 18th  9p | 12a ET

Episode 4: Meth Identity & The Wheaton Bandit
Saturday, November 14th  8p | 11p ET
Wednesday, November 18th  10p | 1a ET

Episode 5: Religious Prey & Medical Scams
Monday, November 16th  12a ET
Friday, Nvomber 20th  10p | 1a ET

Episode 6: Religious Prey & It Takes a Thief
Saturday, November 21st  8p | 11p ET

Episode 7: The Martin Frankel Case
Sunday, November 22nd  Midnight ET

Episode 8: When Greed and Giving Collide
Wednesday, November 25th  9p | Midnight ET

Episode 9: Unsolved:  $300 Million Art Heist
Wednesday, November 25th  10p | 1a ET

Episode 10: Stealing from Scientologists & Art Fraud
Friday, November 27th  10p | 1a ET

Episode 11: Deadly RX for Greed
Saturday, November 28th  8p | 11p ET

Episode 12: WorldCom Scam & Hollywood Scams
Sunday, November 29th  Midnight  ET

Episode 13: Fraud in Cyberspace
Wednesday, December 2nd  9p | 12a ET

Episode 14: Tyco's Koziowski
Wednesday, December 2nd  10p | 1a ET


STACY KEACH PROFILE

"American Greed" is narrated by Stacy Keach.  The award-winning actor of stage, film and television, is best known as the star of "Prison Break" and his portrayal of Detective Mike Hammer.

AMERICAN GREED CRIME STORIES

Do you have a story of American Greed?
email: americangreed@cnbc.com 

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