Who Is Ted Maher a.k.a Jon Green? Inside the Monaco Fire That Killed Billionaire Edmond Safra

Former nurse Ted Maher once appeared to have landed the opportunity of a lifetime. A former Green Beret turned nurse, Maher was hired in 1999 to care for billionaire banker Edmond Safra at his luxurious Monaco penthouse. But within months, the job spiraled into one of the most bizarre and high-profile criminal cases in Monaco history.

Safra, founder of Republic National Bank of New York, was among the richest bankers in the world and reportedly lived in constant fear of assassination after helping authorities uncover alleged money laundering operations tied to organized crime.

Maher, who had impressed Safra’s associates after returning a lost camera to a wealthy New York couple, was recommended for the lucrative nursing position, which reportedly paid more than $200,000 a year, according to People.

On Dec. 3, 1999, a fire erupted inside Safra’s Monaco residence. Maher initially claimed that two masked intruders had attacked him and infiltrated the apartment. He told authorities he had fought the men off and suffered stab wounds during the struggle.

According to investigators, Maher then instructed another nurse, Vivian Torrente, to move Safra into a secure bathroom while he attempted to alert authorities. However, the fire quickly spread through the penthouse, and both Safra and Torrente died from smoke inhalation.

Authorities soon began doubting Maher’s version of events. Police reportedly found no evidence of intruders entering the heavily secured building, and prosecutors later said Maher confessed that he had fabricated the attack.

Investigators alleged Maher intentionally started a small fire in a wastebasket to trigger alarms and create a dramatic rescue scenario that would make him appear heroic in Safra’s eyes. Prosecutors claimed he had become jealous of the billionaire’s other nurses and hoped the stunt would help him gain favor and secure his position.

Maher later recanted his confession, insisting it had been coerced. His defense team argued that although he started the fire, he never intended for anyone to die and believed emergency responders could have rescued Safra and Torrente sooner.

The bizarre case quickly captivated international media and was dubbed Monaco’s ‘Trial of the Century.’ In 2002, Maher was convicted of arson causing death and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The story took another dramatic turn in 2003 when Maher briefly escaped from prison after sawing through his cell bars and fleeing into France using a makeshift rope made from garbage bags. Authorities captured him just hours later in Nice.

Maher was released from prison in 2007 after serving roughly eight years and later returned to the United States. According to People, he struggled to rebuild his life, lost his nursing license, and eventually changed his name to Jon Green.

His legal troubles continued years later. In 2025, Maher was convicted in New Mexico in a murder-for-hire case after prosecutors said he attempted to arrange the killing of his estranged wife while incarcerated. He received a nine-year prison sentence and remains behind bars at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility.

The shocking case drew public attention following the release of Netflix’s ‘Murder in Monaco’ in 2025.