John Hamen (I Am Frankenstein, Edgar: A Ghost Story)

In October 2015, John Hamen and Mark McAlister were kidnapped in Sana’a, Yemen by members of the Houthis. After spending several months in detention facilities, Hamen tragically passed away sixteen days after being taken captive.

Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Iran, alleging that Iran’s support of the Houthis led to their hostage-taking and extrajudicial killing. To do so, they invoked the state-sponsored terrorism exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (28 U.S.C. SS 1605A(a)).

Early Life and Education

John Hamen (I Am Frankenstein and Edgar: A Ghost Story) hails from West Chester and graduated from Lakota High School, according to his Facebook page.

His LinkedIn profile indicated he was a military veteran and security risk manager for a private contractor. In October, Shiite Houthi rebels in Sanaa, Yemen where he worked, detained him.

On October 24, 2021, his captors fatally shot him while in their custody. A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that Iranian assistance in kidnapping Americans played a substantial role in his demise.

Professional Career

John has been a wealth management advisor since 2004. After 15 years with Northwestern Mutual, he relocated his practice to Encompass in 2019.

John has extensive expertise with investment and retirement strategies, as well as needs-based planning for his clients. He specializes in disability income insurance and has a deep understanding of retirement and estate planning matters.

He has a rich and varied background in theater, acting and directing, having started writing plays in 2017. In 2017, his poignant youth drama “Edgar: A Ghost Story” was produced both full-length and one-act variations by Lakeside High School of Hot Springs, Arkansas in fall 2018, winning both state-one-act championships at the Arkansas Thespian Festival. Additionally, it was showcased at the International Thespian Festival the following year.

Achievements and Honors

John Hamen is a published and produced playwright who also holds memberships in both the Dramatists Guild of America and Sewanee School of Letters’ MFA-Creative Writing program. Additionally, he serves as honorary thespian for Troupe 2123 at Lakeside High School in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

He is the author of three plays, “Undraped,” “Shadtree Curiosities” and “Pie Town,” all of which have received staged readings. Additionally, he was awarded several accolades including a mentorship with playwright Cory Hinkle through Arkansas Arts Council and participation in a state one-act competition at Arkansas Thespian Festival.

Last month, a veteran of the US Army lost his life while detained by rebel forces while working as a contractor for the United Nations. According to the State Department, Washington had collaborated with a third party so his remains could be returned to his family.

Personal Life

John Hamen was a Chesapeake, Virginia native who spent his career serving in the Army. According to his LinkedIn profile, he worked as a security risk manager throughout Afghanistan and Iraq as well as at US bases throughout the Middle East.

In 2015, he was kidnapped and held captive by Houthi rebels in Yemen, where he endured weeks of torture before being executed. He is one of an unknown number of Americans detained by these extremists who are aligned with military units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and supported by Saudi Arabian airstrikes during their ongoing conflict.

The State Department confirmed his death in custody, but would not elaborate further due to the privacy of his family. He was one of two American contractors captured by Houthis on October 20 while flying to work at a building used by UN personnel in Yemen.

Net Worth

John Hamen boasts a net worth of $5 million. As an influential TikTok personality, John has garnered over 950,000 followers on the platform.

Despite his modest beginnings, he has built a substantial fortune through investments in hotels and other real estate assets. To date, he has opened more than 67 Holiday Inns around the globe.

He is proud to have contributed his expertise and support to Mercy Hospital Springfield Hammons Heart Institute and Highland Springs Country Club, both situated in his native Missouri.

Hamen was hired by AC4S as a security contractor for the Sheraton hotel project in Yemen in October 2015, but he and his colleague Mark McAlister were detained upon arriving in Sanaa.