for the record, I also deny this.

Billionaire denies building secret sex lair

America's 160th richest person, a billionaire who made his money from the 1990s hi-tech boom, has been accused of planning to build a "secret and convenient lair" underneath his California mansion dedicated to drug-taking and sex with prostitutes.

Henry Nicholas, the CEO of the computer chip-making firm Broadcom until three years ago, has twice been accused of debauchery. The first claim was made by builders saying they were hired to build the hideaway at his home in Laguna Hills. The second claim comes from a former employee who has filed legal papers claiming $150,000 in unpaid salary.

Kenji Kato worked for Mr Nicholas as an assistant for seven years and alleges the tycoon ordered him to provide balloons filled with the laughing gas nitrous oxide for guests at parties held by the businessman. Guests' drinks would be spiked with powdered ecstasy pills, he alleges. [...]

Mr Nicholas, whose luxurious Laguna Hills home sits atop a network of tunnels and a 2,000 sq ft bar called "Nick's cafe", faces further inquiries from investigators looking at whether he handed out share options on Broadcom stock at manipulated prices.

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29 Responses:

  1. If he's only been accused of debauchery twice, he's not livin' his life right...

  2. rnb says:

    Well, if you're going to build a secret lair, you don't want it to be inconvenient.

    • And to what, precisely, is Laguna Hills convenient if you don't already live there? The Marine air base? Sheesh.

      • otterley says:

        You must not realize that to Southern Californians, San Bernadino is "convenient" to Santa Monica, because it only takes 3 hours to drive between them.

  3. jabber says:

    Accused of debauchery? As in, it's a crime? Oh, crap!

  4. kyhwana says:

    Yay debauchery!
    I want my own secret sex lair..

  5. crasch says:

    Who needs a secret sex lair when you have the DNA Lounge?

  6. dr_memory says:

    For the record, if I ever become a billionaire, I will be building multiple sex lairs. And they will be accessed via secret doorways behind rotating bookcases and fireplaces.

  7. Well I know who's not being invited to my parties anymore.

    Just another reason to buy a house.

  8. gutbloom says:

    He had an assistant who's real name was "Kato"? Let me guess, the billionaire likes to wear a green mask and black fedora. His pleasure dome is for "crime fighting" and now he has been declared a debauched outlaw...

    • jwz says:

      OJ also had a henchman named Kato. I think it's a common name in the henching field.

      • wikkit42 says:

        Does the henching field have the same rules as the Screen Actors Guild, wirt unique names? I wonder if Kato Kaelin (II) exists.

        One can only assume that the Cato Institute is involved somehow.

      • g_na says:

        Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther also had an assistant named Kato. I guess it is quite common.

        • latemodel says:

          Yes, but you'd think that being in a category with OJ and Clouseau would make you think twice about hiring a guy named Kato.

  9. latemodel says:

    It's well worth reading through the whole story. Apparently his first attempt at building the lair involved flying off for a weeklong vacation with his wife, and ordering the contractors to build it, in secret, in a week. People in town noticed, however, because he posted guards around the site to ensure that nobody noticed. Needless to say, 'secret underground sex lairs' are not exempt for building permits in Laguna Hills, and he was forced to do the project as a warehouse buildout instead.

    Basically this guy sounds awesome. I hope when I'm a 50-year-old billionaire, I look that good.

  10. ammutbite says:

    I wish I were be a billionaire....

  11. merovingian says:

    I was trying to remember "Hey, was that the really unpleasant guy who used to curse strangers out over the phone and get away with it because he was the CEO of BroadCom (since that would make his secret sex lair even creepier)?" so I looked up the name on Wikipedia.

    Turns out he shares a name with the ">16th century heretic who founded the creepily-titled "Family of Love" who actually sound like they were just kind of hippies.

  12. taffer says:

    If building a sex lair is wrong, I don't want to be right.

  13. ultranurd says:

    Now I'm wondering why the article came with an ad for the "installs anywhere" macerating toilet.

  14. insomnia says:

    Which is, of course, to say that you only deny building a *secret* sex lair...

  15. edouardp says:

    Oh, *that* guy.

    Hey now, here's a funny coincidence. I happened to, uhh, run into someone who used to know Mr. Nicholas, complete with a number of stories involving him. I therefore do not find the claims made in the article as particularly surprising.

    I think they should make a reality show where they pretend to give an obscene amount of money to some random guy, then secretly film him for the next few months. And see exactly how long it takes for said random guy to turn into a vile sociopathic monster. Large amounts of money, much like alcohol, generally serves to reveal a persons true character. Although the money allows one to hide it from outside eyes a little better.