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Koch was unconvinced until March last year, when he had a sudden brainstorm. Could one of the bars have a secret, soundproof room built at the back, he wondered. Somewhere they could hold someone for extended questioning. Someone like the public prosecutor Koch believed was still after him. As he mused at the time: “A place where we can treat long-term guests like [him], who might be with us for a couple of years . . . with the comfort they deserve.”

Steyn went along with the idea to get a green light. He registered a company, the Royal Villa Phuket Company, which was majority-owned by Koch’s son, a Thai national, to meet local registration requirements. Three bars were acquired: the Chicago Club, Gold Bar and Tiffany’s a Go-Go. The Chicago was judged too large and expensive to run and was subsequently sold. But at Tiffany’s, the Whiskey and Cigar lounge was renamed “Rudi’s”, in honour of Koch. It was “not a spot for beer and tequila drinkers, and appeals to a more discerning customer”, Steyn proudly told Koch. “In Rudi’s, patrons will experience the ultimate conclusion of their bucket-list wishes,” Steyn went on, seemingly unaware that he might as well have been talking about the two men’s relationship.

From Colón, a rundown city at the Atlantic Ocean entrance to the Panama Canal, the road heading north-east hugs the Caribbean; calm blue waters on one side, lush tropical vegetation on the other. A military checkpoint marks a turn-off towards Linton Bay Marina, home to a hundred or so vessels. It’s also the site of Ocean Builders, the pod design and production business Koch established with Elwartowski and Romundt. In the early months of 2022, the whole enterprise looked to be thriving. Koch had established himself in a cavernous shed, and his team was busy marketing an improved pod design.

At its peak last year, according to several sources familiar with its operations, Ocean Builders employed about 30 people, two-thirds of whom were Panamanians, alongside expats from the US, Canada and South Africa. Former employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, recalled a chaotic operation, with frequent disagreements. While money was splashed on equipment, such as a huge 3D printer, there were frequent short-term financial pressures. Panamanian workers had to be paid in cash every 14 days, yet Koch and some of his colleagues frequently found themselves frozen out of their local bank accounts, probably due to the source of their funds. Ocean Builders did not reply to numerous requests for comment.

Still, the price of crypto had flown higher and, with the Seasteading Institute promising to bankroll projects around the globe, Ocean Builders was ready to unveil its futuristic offering to the newly rich. Its SeaPod would come in two models: a flagship, three-level pod offering 77 square metres of space and a slightly smaller single-floor SeaPod Eco. Each had panoramic windows, outdoor patio space and outriggers for things like solar panels or a hot tub. They were priced at up to $1.5mn.