COLUMN: John L. Smith

     When your name is John Smith, it's not always easy to cash a check.
      While a simple guarantee card is good enough for the average citizen to convert a bank draft, I sometimes have to produce two pieces of photo identification, a birth certificate, thumbprint, family history and hair sample to gain approval.
      It's pretty irritating, especially given the astounding ability of Terry Salem to impress himself on others.
      Salem specializes in cashing checks. Usually other people's. Over the years, he has developed a keen proficiency at passing checks worth a fortune through banks and businesses.
      That's only part of his portfolio. From illegal-gambling busts to knocking around with Chicago mob tough Anthony Spilotro, Salem has been on the edge of trouble most of his adult life. A native of Detroit, Salem is the nephew of mobbed-up gambler Freddie "The Pope" Salem and the cousin of local knockaround guy Jack Salem. In 1992, Terry was part of the crew of Detroit gamblers ousted from the Viejas Mission Indian casino near San Diego when their veiled investments were uncovered.
      But, mostly, Salem is a check-cashing fiend.
      Frankly, I'm envious. I have a hard time getting a store clerk to stop laughing when I show her one of my sorry drafts. Perhaps I should have taken a lesson from Terry Salem.
     -- -- --
      His trial isn't for another couple weeks, but it's clear former District Judge Gerard Bongiovanni is in a world of trouble. He was indicted last year on federal racketeering, wire fraud and conspiracy charges in connection with a public corruption and bribery probe. Paul Dottore and Strip show producer Jeff Kutash also were indicted.
      But it's not the damning wiretaps that figure to nail Bongiovanni's tattered robe to the courthouse wall. Nor is it the handy investigative work of the FBI and Las Vegas police.
      It is sure to be Salem's damaging testimony. At 52, he has talked his way into the sweetest deal of his life, and Bongiovanni figures to take a beating.
      A little background: In 1994, Salem was implicated in a $175,000 bank fraud case stemming from the bilking of accounts belonging to a deceased Californian named Camillo Mazzetti. Salem helped clean out Mazzetti's savings with six withdrawals; hey, it's easy when you know your business.
      When investigators got wise, Salem sprinted to cut a deal. He turned on his partners and became a government key witness in exchange for a big break. At trial in late March, Paul Dottore and Jack Jerdan were convicted of fraud charges. Salem previously pleaded guilty to a single felony and awaits sentencing. For Salem's time and trouble, the feds kicked in $50,000 in witness fees.
      Unlike some of Salem's own paper, government checks cash with little difficulty.
      That may seem like a lot of money, but it's nothing compared to what Salem nearly collected while enjoying his status as a favored witness. To get an idea of what Salem has been up to in the three years since he became the government's friend, look at the results of a search warrant conducted at his Phoenix home less than two months ago. Investigators found illegal gambling devices, stacks of casino chips, cards, fake Social Security cards, phony military ID cards, bank receipts and two checks totaling $12,450. Not in his name, of course.
      The search warrant was carried out after an Arizona-based First Interstate Bank detective became intrigued by a questionable $450,000 check. His inquiry led to none other than Terry Salem. The investigation also linked a check stolen from Paramount Pictures worth $137,350 to Salem, who has yet to be charged in those cases.
      All of this occurred after he cut his deal, but none of it stands to make much difference. After all, the tainted Salem's testimony already has been used to convict Dottore and Jerdan.
      In a truly astute piece of strategy, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Shoemaker in effect enjoyed a trial run for the Bongiovanni case by testing Salem in the Mazzetti affair.
      Of course, in an ideal world snitches would be unnecessary. Then again, in a better world, judges wouldn't be suspected of sullying their robes by grubbing in the gutter for a few dirty dollars.
      In the end, the success of the Mazzetti case, and Salem's role in it, bodes ill for the embattled former judge.
      No matter the outcome, Bongiovanni will know who to call for assistance when it comes time to cut a check to pay his defense attorneys.
     
     John L. Smith's column appears Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. He can be reached at John_L._Smith@lvrj.com.