Erik Anthony Audé (born April 5, 1980) is an American actor, stuntman, restaurateur, and professional poker player who was arrested and imprisoned in Pakistan for alleged drug trafficking. Audé maintains that he was duped into carrying opium and believed he was importing leather goods.
Audé's experiences were adapted into a 2013 episode of the National Geographic television series Locked Up Abroad, and also into the 2018 documentary film 3 Years in Pakistan: The Erik Audé Story. He appears as himself in both works.
History Audé was born in Los Angeles, California. He attended Bethel Christian School in Lancaster, California, and played American football there."
In 2002, Audé was persuaded to carry leather samples from Islamabad, Pakistan, to the United States by Razmik Minasian (who used the alias Rai Gharizian), an Armenian client at the gymnasium where Audé was employed. Minasian concealed from Audé the fact that the case containing leather skirts and jackets also contained opium. On February 15, 2002, Audé was arrested at Islamabad International Airport after being found, according to Pakistani authorities, with 3.6 kilograms (7.9 pounds) of opium in the process of embarking on his scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan is not a party to the United States' Prison Transfer Treaty program. The actor, convicted in January 2003, began serving a sentence of seven years at the Adiala Central Jail in nearby Rawalpindi. At the time, a number of articles in the press speculated on the odds of his surviving the full term of his seven-year sentence.
Audé's 2004 release followed an appeal by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson just before Christmas, and followed Minasian's written confession that Audé was innocent of knowing he was being used to smuggle opium. A number of websites were set up to help promote his cause, and to document the struggle to free him. The actor arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on December 26, 2004, after entering the United States at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. As of 2009 Audé lives in the San Fernando Valley.Smith, L. Christopher, "Among the Terrorists", Men's Journal, August 2007, Page 107
Filmography Year(s)WorkRoleNotes1997The Bold and the BeautifulTravis BayerTV series1997Hiller and DillerBarryTV series1998One WorldRickTV series1998Sorrow's ChildCopShort1998Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal'Cannibal' HannibalTV series1999InfernoSoldierFilm1998–1999Cousin SkeeterDukeTV series1999City GuysSigning GuyTV series2000Zoe, Duncan, Jack and JaneNorb SchafferTV series2000ProvidenceJasonTV series2000BounceProm BoyFilm20007th HeavenBoy FriendTV series2000Dude, Where's My Car?MuscleheadFilm2001The Andy Dick ShowIntense GuyTV series2001Three SistersParty GuestTV series2001PopularFrat GuyTV series200110 AttitudesTravisFilm2001So Little TimeTV series2001That's LifePeteTV series2001The Nightmare RoomFrankTV series2001RebaFootball PlayerTV series2001ThievesHankTV series2002Van WilderMartial Arts FreshmanFilm2003That's So RavenStudent #1TV series2004Blind PassionVinnieFilm2005Cold CaseFrat GuyTV series2005The Rites of NicoWayneShort2006The Cutting Edge: Going for the GoldPool WaiterVideo2006Miles from HomeLandlordFilm2006Courting AlexMarkTV series2006So NotoriousBad Date #1TV series2006Just for KicksLanceTV series2006PoseidonBouncerFilm2006Beyond the BreakScott WorthingtonTV series2006Just LegalBoyfriendTV series2006CSI: NYJewelry Store ManagerTV series2006Flags of Our FathersOfficerFilm2006SharkSeth TaylorTV series2006NumbersSteroid Highschool KidTV series2007Cory in the HouseSebastianTV series2007The Third NailMarine LieutenantFilm2009Fatal SecretsMikeFilm2010Q for DeathOfficer Clayton BanksVideo2010BabyDream DadShort2010A Mother's ChoiceDr. DesmondShort2011The EventMarkTV series2011The Young and the RestlessPassport ForgerTV series2011Rizzoli & IslesDevon BoskoTV series2011CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationRyan DempseyTV series2011Cowboys & IndiansGentleman James CarterFilm2011Heroine Legends: Agent FilesJonesTV series2012The ABCs of DeathBeat Down DudeFilm2012A Mother's Choice: The UltimatumDr. DesmondShort2012NCIS: Los AngelesBurly SurferTV series2012ParenthoodConstruction Worker #2TV series2012BetrayalCollinShort2012JewBuffordShort2013Shadow on the MesaThor WelshTV movie2013The Devil's Dozen Film2012–2013PartnersBartenderTV series2013My Haunted HouseGhost HusbandTV series2013Nothing Left But TearsWrathShort2013Mike India AlphaJeremy MitchellShort2013Ad LucemBikerVideo short2013Unidentified Film2013To My Future AssistantHankTV movie2013Three and a Half SongsLukeShort2013The Pain KillersRomanFilm2013Halfway to HellRoachFilm2014HorrorConDane HardingFilm2014LegendsSecurity CaptainTV series2014Looking for LionsJamalFilm2014Sons of AnarchyWhite GuardTV series2014American SniperThompsonFilm2014The Eric Andre ShowNascar DriverTV series2015Gnome AloneOfficer KellyFilm2015Evil WithinRobertFilm2015Bout to be a RiotDarren WilsonVideo short2015ShamelessDrug CopTV series2015NCISMan in Blue SuitTV series2015Field of Lost ShoesHawkerFilm2015All That MattersNeilTV series2015Rendezvous with VictoryTerrorist VOTV series short2015Tornado AlleyDaleTV series2015Seat of JusticeOfficer Clayton BanksFilm2015A Killer of MenCutlerShort2015The Last ShipAvocet Worker 2TV series2015CheckmateOfficer WilliamsFilm2015Hand of GodCop #1TV series2015Being CharlieStaffer #1Film2010–2015Days of Our LivesLamar/Thug/DealerTV series2015LukeBouncer 1TV movie2015LukeBouncer 1TV series
References
Further reading Gleason, Meg. "Locked Up Abroad: Where Are They Now? Erik Aude". (Archive). National Geographic. April 25, 2010. Fausset, Richard. "Mom Tries to Get Son Freed From Pakistan". Los Angeles Times. October 27, 2003.
External links
Crime Library article - The Pokerdonk