Saturday, October 11, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rizzolo intercepted via wiretaps, lawyer says

Topless club owner Rick Rizzolo has been notified of several instances in which federal authorities intercepted his phone conversations dating back to 1996, Rizzolo's attorney said Friday.

However, exactly what authorities are probing via the use of the wiretaps is unclear.

Rizzolo's attorney, Tony Sgro, said the wiretap notifications do not describe exactly what authorities want.

"We've always known Rick Rizzolo has been required to live his life under a microscope," Sgro said. "He's always under investigation, yet he's never done anything wrong."

An FBI spokesman declined to comment.

In February, dozens of law officers searched Rizzolo's Crazy Horse Too Gentlemen's Club as part of an ongoing investigation into possible links between the business and organized crime.

Las Vegas police also searched the club on Oct. 4, 2001, nearly two weeks after a patron, Kirk Henry, suffered a broken neck at the Industrial Road business.

A civil lawsuit stemming from that incident is pending.

Sgro said over the past six weeks, Rizzolo has received "several notices" of intercepted conversations recorded via wiretap.

"They are covering different time-frames, advising persons they've been intercepted during phone conversations," Sgro said.

"They only are required to advise you that they've intercepted and the time-frame," the lawyer said.

"They've been dribbling in over the last six weeks or so," Sgro said.