David Carradine was murdered by an underworld martial arts sect, his grieving family claims.
The veteran actor was on the verge of exposing the secret sect when he was "assassinated" in a Bangkok hotel, they believe.
The family's lawyer Mark Geragos disputed claims by Thai police that Carradine died as the result of a bondage game gone wrong.
The 72-year-old actor was found with a rope tied around his neck, wrist and genitals last Thursday.
"David was very interested in investigating and disclosing secret societies, absolutely," Mr Geragos said on US talk show Larry King Live.
"What that means is connected to his interest in martial arts.
"And so there is a suspicion that, if there was some foul play, that may be the first area they should look."
Carradine became fascinated with martial arts since he played a wandering monk in the 1970s series Kung Fu.
He also played a martial arts expert in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films.
According to reports, Carradine's family has now asked the FBI to send agents to Thailand to investigate the case.
But one of Carradine's ex-wives, Marina Anderson, said that if the actor was involved in secret societies, "it was a secret even I didn't know about".
Anderson, whose four-year marriage to Carradine ended in 2003, has said the actor often took part in "potentially deadly" kinky sex acts.
But Carradine's manager Chick Binder points to the fact the actor was found with his hands tied behind his back, and a mysterious footprint on his hotel bed, as evidence of foul play.
"We definitely don't believe it was a suicide," he said. "David was a great guy and a great client and a great friend."
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