Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer Blockbuster Reminds Us That His Older Brother Was Once Accused Of Being a Hitman In Costa Rica While Using The Alias “MM McCall-Oppenheimer”

JULIEN DE ROSA. Getty Images.

Tons of us ran to the movies this past weekend to go see Oppenheimer. The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer was told on the big screen through the vision of one of the best to ever do it, Christopher Nolan. From most accounts, besides people like Steven Cheah, it was a big hit. But what if I told you that movie was only made as a way to push away an alleged murder linked to Nolan's brother, who may or may not have been an assassin. Want to get nuts? Let's get nuts. 

So Christopher Nolan has an older brother named Matthew. Back in 2009 Matthew was charged by the Costa Rican government with the murder of an accountant named Robert Cohen, who was killed four years prior. As the story goes, he went by the alias 'MM McCall-Oppenheimer' to appear related to the Oppenheimer diamond family and get closer to Cohen. Costa Rica unsuccessfully tried to extradite Matthew Nolan from Chicago, where he was living at the time. While in custody though, he was caught trying to escape and was sentenced to 14 months in jail. 

 Newsweek details it here…

"Costa Rica contends that 'Mejia contacted the accused [Nolan] and for a still undetermined amount of money, hired his services, both of them planning the manner in which they would deprive the victim of his freedom, in order to later murder him,'" casetexts.com summarized. However, the site also states that "Costa Rica did not submit evidence corroborating its assertion that Mejia hired Nolan[…]for the express purpose of murdering Cohen."

He was arrested by FBI agent Pablo Araya that year [2009] and formally charged with Cohen's murder by Costa Rican authorities. However, a judge in the U.S. did not see sufficient evidence to extradite him, leading to the central American country eventually abandoning their request in 2010, according to the website howstuffworks.com.

While he was being held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, Nolan attempted to escape and was sentenced to 14 months in jail as a result. After serving his time, Nolan was released. His current whereabouts and condition are unknown.

Here in this Daily Mail article the FBI agent describes arresting Nolan

Nolan remained at liberty for another four years until 2009, when he was trapped by FBI agent Pablo Araya – who discovered Nolan was due to attend his own bankruptcy hearing in Chicago. Araya, who arrested Nolan, said: 'Matthew Nolan was the most arrogant person I have talked to.

'I grabbed him after he had eluded me for one or two years, and when I arrested him his words to me were, "You would never have got me if it wasn't for the bankruptcy". But it was his greed that got him – because of his bankruptcy.'

We also learn about his elaborate jail break attempt…

Earlier that year, in April, Nolan had pleaded guilty to preparing an escape from the Chicago jail, from where there had never been a successful breakout. Guards discovered a 31ft-long 'rope' made up of bed sheets, and a harness, razor and clip designed to unlock handcuffs.

Araya said: 'It was make-believe stuff. Prison guards had his cell turned over and he had ropes made up. The guard said it was the best rope they had ever seen made.'

I'm not here to say he definitively did it, but that kind of prison escape along with the rest of the story don't exactly paint him as a model citizen. 

This tabloid picture about the three Nolan bros is unbelievable. 

All of it is crazy right? Well, given the creation of Oppenheimer it makes you wonder if there's a little Streisand Effect going on here. While his brother was never convicted of the murder the story is still out there. Making one of the bigger movies in a long time with this much hype around it, and so many articles written about the production would certainly push down any stories regarding his brother. You google "Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan" now and you're only getting hits on the movie. It's honestly fucking genius if that was the intention. You do also run the risk of idiots like me writing blogs like this, but who cares about me. 

I just wish someone would have the balls to ask him about this in an interview, but also how do you bring that up? You'd almost certainly disappear shortly after asking those questions. 

One thing is very clear to me. Someone needs to make this whole story a movie. Does Christopher Nolan have a rival, because I see this as a giant opportunity to get one over him. Maybe you have to do it after he dies? You make this movie now and I think Christopher Nolan gives his brother a call to get some work in. 

Fuck, am I a target now? I only saw the story on Tiktok Christopher, I promise!