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Former NBA Basketball Player Bison Dele Aka Brian Williams Missing with Girlfriend, Serena Karlan

September 2002 (Newstream) -- Suspicious circumstances surround the disappearance of retired NBA player Bison Dele, formally known as Brian Williams (age 33), and his girlfriend Serena Karlan (age 30), along with a crew of three, who have been missing since July 8. They were scheduled to sail on their boat, the Hukuna Matata, from Moorea, Tahiti bound for Honolulu, Hawaii via the Tua Motu and Marqesas islands.

Prior to July 8, Serena Karlan had been contacting her mother at least once a week and Brian had been contacting his bank and Kevin "KP" Porter, his executive assistant in Michigan, once a month. On August 27, the Coast Guard and Tahiti Search and Rescue opened search cases for their boat from Hawaii through New Zealand. More information can't be revealed because of an ongoing law enforcement investigation.

Bison Dele, formerly known as Brian Williams, played NBA basketball with the Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, 1997 NBA champion Chicago Bulls, and most recently with the Detroit Pistons from 1997-1999.

The parents of both Serena Karlan and Bison Dele are seeking any help they can get to locate Bison and Serena and the rest of the crew of the Hukuna Matata. A website with more information will be available soon at http://whereisbison.com

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Serena Karlan or Bison Dele, please contact the below listed law enforcement offices:

U.S. Law Enforcement Contacts:
FBI: Boulder, Colorado branch
303 443-4900
FAX: 303 440-0431

Family contacts:
Family of Serena Karlan:
Scott Ohlgren (family member)
Office: 303 530-2332
FAX: 303 527-0270
search@howhealthworks.com

Family of Bison Dele, aka Brian Williams:
Patricia A. Phillips (mother)
310.319.6439
papbison@aol.com

International Law Enforcement Contacts:
U.S. Coast Guard
Honolulu, District 14
Rescue Coordination Center
808.541.2500
Fax: 808-541-2123

RCC Tahiti (Military Search & Rescue)
011-689.46.2432
Commidante D'Arco

Moorea, French Polynesia
- Capitiane de Port: +689.50.54.54
Adjoind: Francois Chaumette
- Affairs Maritimes: +689.42.02.52
- Batteaux de Pleasure (Pleasure boats): +689.50.54.51

Marquesas islands, French Polynesia
Gendarmarie: 689.92.03.61 or +689.92.7361

Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
Gendarmarie: +689.920.361

Hiva Oa, French Polynesia
Gendarmarie: +689-927-361

Ua Poa, French Polynesia
Gendarmarie: +689-925-361
Hervé Thiriet, Police Officer at the Ua Pou Gendarmerie Station
thirieth@yahoo.fr

*In July 2002, Dele and his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, sailed on the South Pacific Ocean along with skipper Bertrand Saldo on Dele's catamaran, the Hakuna Matata. Dele's brother, Miles Dabord (born Kevin Williams), was the only person involved in the voyage who was seen or heard from after July 8, when the party was in Tahiti. Dele and Karlan had previously kept regular contact with their banks and family members. On July 20, Dabord was by himself when he brought the boat into Tahiti.[3]

On September 5, police used a sting operation organized by Dele's family and friends to detain Dabord in Phoenix, Arizona. Dabord had forged his brother's signature in order to buy US$152,000 worth of gold under his brother's name. He had used Dele's passport as identification.[4] Mexican police later found that Dabord had been staying at a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico. Two days before, the Hakuna Matata, which had been registered in Tahiti under another name, was found off the coast of Tahiti with its name plate removed and some possible bullet holes patched. About the same time, Dabord phoned his and Dele's mother, Patricia Phillips, telling her that he would never hurt his brother and that he could not survive in prison.[5]

The FBI became involved in the investigation along with the French authorities and concluded that Dele, Karlan and Saldo were probably killed, and then thrown overboard, by Dabord. Given that the bodies were likely dumped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it would be highly unlikely that the three would ever be found.[4]

Dabord, the only major source of information regarding the case, intentionally overdosed on insulin and slipped into a coma. On September 27, 2002, he died in a California hospital. After Dabord's suicide, officials did not expect to find much more regarding the case. A memorial service was then held for both Dabord and Dele.

Dabord and Dele were frequently at odds with each other. After Dabord's death, his lawyer and life-long best friend, Paul White, was questioned regarding his client but gave little information about what happened. Dabord had said that he knew for sure that Dele and Karlan were in French Polynesia, but not much more other than that he was trying to help Dele.

* Text above text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

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