TwistedBadgeStories

LAS VEGAS - In Las Vegas, lady justice is treated like a lap dancer whose eyes are covered so she will not see how much is being paid for her services. Last March, Veronica Schmidt ingested too much Xanax, then drove her car into a bus stop and killed three children and one adult. DA David Roger granted Schmidt "immunity" and now he and some of his staff are straining to find excuses not to do their job. One prosecutor went so far as to say a gust of wind may have blown the SUV into the bus stop shelter. Here's the inside story:

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART TWENTY- SIX)
November 28, 2004
By Steve Miller
As federal indictments near in "Operation Crazy Horse," another Vegas topless bar owner is singing like a canary. In 2004, the FBI's "Operation G-Sting" revealed the depth of corruption tied to the topless bar rackets in Las Vegas and San Diego. "G-Sting's" target was Mike Galardi, former owner of Cheetahs strip clubs in Vegas and on the coast. The upcoming target of "Operation Crazy Horse" is longtime Crazy Horse Too strip club owner Rick Rizzolo and his associates.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART TWENTY- FIVE)
9/04/2004
By Steve Miller

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - The Crazy Horse Too is under federal investigation for a series of brutal beatings and robberies involving bar personnel which were ignored by local law enforcement. In fact, all incidents of violence at the now infamous topless bar have been routinely ignored. Since 1985, when owner Rick Rizzolo was alleged to have been personally involved in the baseball bat beating of a patron, the Las Vegas Department of Business Activity, the LV Metropolitan Police and Clark County District Attorney have never cited or prosecuted any criminal violations.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? (PART TWENTY-FOUR)
June 17, 2004
By Steve Miller
Since 1999, I've been writing about the extortion, tax evasion, prostitution, credit card fraud, beatings and murder at the Crazy Horse Too. Rick Rizzolo has made his fortune by paying off local law enforcement, a local reporter, and a number of high level public officials including several judges to keep a lid on his and his associate's criminal activities.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART TWENTY-ONE)
11/10/2003
by Steve Miller
According to a bartender at Cheetahs, he was often told by Mike Galardi to slip McDonald cash wrapped in a napkin over the bar. (I was told the payoffs were taped.) I have always believed McDonald was working both sides, but his true loyalty is to Rick Rizzolo. I also believe Jack did not approve of Mike Galardi having anything to do with McDonald because the councilman maintained his ties to Rizzolo while working for Mike.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? (PART TWENTY)
8/20/2003
by Steve Miller
Four Vegas politicians go down hard, more to come...
In a town where appearance is everything, former politicians Erin Kenny, Dario Herrera, Mike McDonald and Lance Malone had it all - looks, youth, fame, status, and the chance to drink from the public's trough. Then the sky fell in.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? (PART NINETEEN)
5/24/2003
by Steve Miller
"What happens here stays here"
"What happens here stays here" is the intriguing message being delivered to millions of potential Vegas visitors in a TV ad campaign paid for by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The ad agency which coined this phrase also handles the campaigns of Nevada's highest level politicians.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? (PART EIGHTEEN)
2/20/2003
by Steve Miller
At 4 AM this morning, eighty FBI and DEA agents raided the Crazy Horse Too in Las Vegas and the topless bar has been closed. Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo, who was recently described by Councilman Mike McDonald as a "pillar of the community", is expected to be indicted for racketeering within the next several weeks.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? (PART SEVENTEEN)
2/05/2003
by Steve Miller
Like old Chicago, Las Vegas was always mob run whether local citizens liked it or not. Lately, Vegas has reinvented itself as "Sin City" by capitalizing openly on its sinister reputation. The mob has also reinvented itself into what--only in Vegas--looks like legitimate business goings on. Replacing casinos as the once pilfered cash cows, many topless clubs are now the money laundries, dope dens, and hooker havens just as off limits to law enforcement as the casinos once were.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART SIXTEEN )
By Steve Miller
On September 20, 2001, Kansas resident Kirk Henry allegedly had his neck broken by a bouncer at the Crazy Horse Too topless bar, 2476 Industrial Rd. On October 2, 2001, Henry sued the Crazy Horse and its owner, Frederick "Rick" Rizzolo, for Attempted Murder. The case was assigned to Clark County District Court Judge Jeffery Sobel. On March 14, 2002, less than six months after Sobel was assigned the Henry case, Rizzolo wrote a check for $5,000 to Judge Sobel's campaign committee. On September 27, 2002, Rizzolo gave Sobel another $5,000 making him the judge's biggest campaign contributor. Even though Rizzolo was a Defendant in his court, Sobel evidently had no problem accepting his $10,000 largesse.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART FIFTEEN )
THE NOOSE TIGHTENS ON RIZZOLO AND HIS FRIENDS
By Steve Miller
Some say the Mob left Las Vegas when the corporations moved in. However, a new Mob has emerged and is involved in the lucrative adult entertainment industry. Money laundering, prostitution, and narcotics are their crimes of choice. To conduct business in the open, certain unscrupulous businessmen pay off politicians to protect their interests.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART FOUR )
By Steve Miller
Like Chicago of lore, Las Vegas has always been mob run. Lately, LV has reinvented
itself as Sin City and has started marketing its sinister reputation. The mob has also
reinvented itself into what - only here - looks like legitimate business. The topless clubs
have been taken over and are now the money laundries, dope dens, and hooker havens
as off limits to law enforcement as the casinos once were.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART SEVEN)
Conspiracy to commit Ted Binion murder probed by FBI
By Steve Miller and Rolando Larraz
Las Vegas - For the first time, federal agents have admitted that the FBI is looking at the
possibility that others, beside Sandra Murphy and Richard Tabish, were responsible for
the drug overdose death of casino operator Ted Binion.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART NINE )
by Steve Miller
According to sources I trust, one of the Crazy Horse Too bouncers involved in the
1995 beating death of patron Scott Fau wants to "come clean."

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART ELEVEN )
by Steve Miller
Longtime Clark County Public Administrator Jared Shafer has announced his retirement
at the conclusion of his current term and will vacate his office on December 31. The Las
Vegas Tribune believes the time has come to hold him accountable before he slips away.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART TWELVE )
THE COMPANY HE KEEPS
by Steve Miller
Las Vegas - Topless bar owner Rick Rizzolo recently kicked in $10,000 and organized a fundraiser for District Attorney candidate David Roger. At an earlier fundraiser held at his Canyon Gate home, Rizzolo introduced the candidate to most of the other adult business owners and their wallets. David Roger seems unconcerned that his chief fundraiser is facing at least three court dates for alleged beatings, robberies, and a wrongful death. He also doesn't seem troubled by the fact that Las Vegas Metro PD has two cases against Rizzolo's business waiting for filing by the DA's office.

CORRUPTION IN NEVADA? ( PART FOURTEEN )
Is it Payback Time for Oscar?
by Steve Miller
Las Vegas - Mayor Oscar Goodman recently had lunch with Dean Patti and Tony Sgro,
attorneys for the Crazy Horse Too topless bar and it's purported owner, their biggest
client, Rick Rizzolo. These same two lawyers are lending their law offices to deputy D.A.
David Roger for his campaign headquarters. It should be noted that the next D.A. will
have to decide whether (or not) to prosecute two cases Las Vegas Metro PD has
pending against Rizzolo, who is Roger's most prolific campaign fundraiser.

Former Las Vegas Mayor" peddles title to highest bidder
By Steve Miller
Jones then stated "You need hotel rooms and an entertainment environment. Gaming is only a part of that." While Mayor Jones was encouraging Detroit under her official title, downtown Las Vegas was experiencing a 2.3% decline in gaming revenue compared to the previous year. Jones however kept quoting favorable statistics from the Strip casinos -- casinos she had no jurisdiction over since the Strip is outside the city of Las Vegas. While speaking in Detroit, Mayor Jones neglected to disclose that she was also a stockholder in Mirage, and Circus Circus, two of the then-bidders for Detroit casino licenses.