Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JOHN L. SMITH: It isn't easy being pals with topless bar magnate Rizzolo these days

When New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza and Crazy Horse Too topless bar magnate Rick Rizzolo became friends, it must have looked like the party would never end.

Both were millionaires. Piazza was a star in his world. Rizzolo was something of a celebrity in his world, too. What could be better than a sports hero and a sports fan hanging out together?

Those who know both men say theirs is a simple friendship, one that includes the common interests you'd expect from players in their worlds. But nothing is simple in Rizzolo's life these days. He's the target of a lengthy FBI and IRS investigation into corruption, violence, and mob activity at the Crazy Horse Too.

That's the sort of scrutiny that has the potential to complicate all his friendships and associations.

Part of the Crazy Horse Too investigation includes court-authorized wiretaps. In accordance with federal law, persons overheard on the wire are sent notification. Reliable sources say Piazza's name was on the list of those sent a wiretap notification.

It doesn't place Piazza on the government's hit list, but it does illustrate the depth to which investigators have gone to scrutinize their target. At least on the surface, it's also reminiscent of another case involving professional jocks and a topless bar operator.

In Atlanta's Buckhead district, Gold Club topless bar owner Steve Kaplan once played the gracious host to NBA veterans Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley along with Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones. Part of his generosity included providing dancers to perform sexual favors on the celebrity athletes.

Kaplan, whose murky relationship with New York mob figures wasn't made clear at trial, was sentenced in June 2002 to 16 months in prison after being convicted of racketeering, credit card fraud, and failure to report a felony (prostitution.) He also lost his business and paid a $5 million fine.

While it's only logical that FBI and IRS investigators in the Crazy Horse Too and Cheetah's cases have studied the Gold Club case for similarities, it's not clear how much alike they really are.

The Rizzolo case is punctuated by the September 2001 incident which resulted in Kansas tourist Kirk Henry receiving a broken neck after an $88 bar tab dispute. Through his attorneys, Rizzolo has denied his employees were involved and is vigorously fighting the lawsuit filed on behalf of Henry and his wife.

Five weeks ago, Rizzolo sued Metro claiming its October 2001 search warrant at the Crazy Horse Too that followed the Henry incident was conducted illegally. Rizzolo's attorneys also have argued, thus far unsuccessfully, that an 11-hour federal search conducted in February was overreaching and too broad. The federal warrant sought records dating to 1995, a sign that at least initially agents were pursuing evidence showing a historical pattern of criminal activity of the sort often detailed in racketeering indictments. Rizzolo's attorneys called the search warrant, in which some of the federal agents came in wearing ski masks and wielding weapons, a glorified publicity stunt intended to damage the reputation of their client.

Since then, and unlike the Galardi "G-Sting" investigation, the Crazy Horse Too case has largely played out off the public stage. Until the wiretap notices went out, and people began to talk, almost the only insight into the case in recent months was revealed through developments in the civil suit.

The only intriguing twist came when it was reported that Metro Sgt. Tom Keller had received a $15,000 loan from his longtime friend Rizzolo. Keller was suspended for three weeks, demoted and transferred.

As a city councilman, Michael McDonald made no secret of his friendship with Rizzolo, who contributes thousands to dozens of political campaigns. But that friendship, compounded with McDonald's relationship with Galardi, led to his ouster by the voters.

Whether Rizzolo's notoriety will reflect on Piazza is uncertain. Rizzolo is exceedingly generous to his pals, but it's not easy being his friend.

Something tells me it's going to get tougher from here.

John L. Smith's column appears Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. E-mail him at jsmith@reviewjournal.com or call him at 383-0295.