At times, Dr. Richard Oliver must feel like the Strip's biggest sucker.

By his accounting he lost $130,000, and he didn't even set foot in a casino.

As a retired physician-turned-real-estate developer in Colorado, Oliver was part of a group of investors who were conned into believing Thomas Cecrle had secured a prime slice of Strip frontage, a piece so valuable that billionaire Richard Branson just had to have it to complete his own casino vision on Las Vegas Boulevard.

The story was full of more hot air than the Mojave desert in July. Today, Oliver is out the money and remains bitter at being taken in by Cecrle, a felon who has been in the news lately due to his continued relationship with embattled Family Court Judge Steven Jones.

Through his attorney, Jones has denied any involvement in the controversial deals of either Cecrle or D. Victor Hancock, another felon the judge has befriended. The problem is that the facts and witnesses keep getting in the way of the judge's version of events.

Jones charged thousands of dollars on a business credit card linked to Cecrle's shenanigans. The American Express card was taken out by Southern Nevada resident and Cecrle victim Gene Isaacs, who accuses the judge of working hand in hand with the alleged con man.

But because Oliver never set foot in Las Vegas, the question is whether he can establish a link between Jones and Cecrle.

It appears he can.

Although he never had a face-to-face meeting with Cecrle or Jones, Oliver clearly recalls someone identifying himself as the judge twice taking the phone during business conversations with Cecrle. In a recent interview, Oliver said he believed Cecrle was using the judge to bolster his credibility.

Cecrle made it clear the investors would have access to the judge's professional connections, Oliver said. He recalled Cecrle telling him, "If there's any glitch, we have a judge in our pocket."

This doesn't mean Cecrle was telling Oliver the truth. Cecrle's veracity is more than suspect these days. But it is one more troubling question for the judge.

Meanwhile, the FBI made its interest in the case known when agents sat in on a recent court hearing to decide whether to extend a temporary protective order involving the judge's ongoing domestic battery case. Although the bureau's local office has no comment, it's obvious the agents weren't interested in the judge's domestic dispute with former live-in girlfriend Amy McNair.

What the agents heard surely increased their interest in whether Jones has abused his public office for personal gain. An increasing number of witnesses have been coming forward to tell of the Jones-Cecrle relationship in connection with real estate schemes from the Strip to Mexico. Could the feds be looking at possible mail fraud, wire fraud and even money laundering charges?

The judge is scheduled to appear Sept. 13 in Henderson Municipal Court before Judge Ken Proctor on the domestic battery and temporary protective order violation charges. With Jones' connections to Cecrle's dealings growing more complex, those misdemeanor charges are beginning to look like the least of his worries.

Oliver was introduced to the "investment" by another man and in all sent $130,000 through the pipeline and down the drain to Cecrle for a deal that turned out to be worthless. Cecrle also told Oliver he held not only the Strip property, but valuable land in Arizona and mining equipment as well.

Others who have done business with Cecrle have come away with holes in their pockets, too.

"I'm surprised someone hasn't sent a couple guys after them," Oliver said of Cecrle and another man he believes is a partner. "I think he's a gambling addict. He takes the money and gambles it away."

To call him bitter is a bit of an understatement.

"If I find him, I'm going to beat his brains in," Oliver said.

Considering the octogenarian Isaacs' $800,000 in estimated losses and other "investors" who were taken by Cecrle for more than $250,000, Richard Oliver could be considered one of the lucky ones.

But something tells me he's not feeling all that fortunate.

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