FBI probes link between federal judge’s son, nightclub operator

FBI agents are investigating ties between the son of U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson and the longtime nightclub operator the judge placed on probation in a $7 million tip-concealment scheme despite objections from prosecutors.

Agents assigned to the FBI's public corruption squad in Las Vegas have questioned current and former employees of the nightclub operator, Steve Davidovici, about Brian Dawson's employment as a bartender at clubs associated with Davidovici.

The interviews have taken place as Judge Dawson gave Justice Department lawyers from Washington, D.C., until today to let him know whether they think he has a conflict in the Davidovici tax case, which was put together by criminal agents with the Internal Revenue Service. Prosecutors had sought a prison term for Davidovici.

The questions FBI agents have asked have not been confined to the younger Dawson's ties to Davidovici, 48.

Agents also have inquired about a possible connection between Brian Dawson, 38, and former construction company boss Leon Benzer, the target of a long-running FBI-Las Vegas police investigation into a massive fraud and corruption scheme at valley homeowners associations.

More than two-dozen people have pleaded guilty and are cooperating in the high-profile criminal investigation, which also is being spearheaded by the FBI's public corruption squad. Another key target, construction defect attorney Nancy Quon, committed suicide in March, and a cooperating witness, attorney David Amesbury, was found dead of an apparent hanging in California less than a week later.

Among other things, FBI agents have been attempting to firm up whether Brian Dawson once worked for Benzer's former company, Silver Lining Construction, which is alleged to have played a role in the takeover of nearly a dozen homeowners associations.

A former Davidovici executive who did not want to be identified said one of the agents who interviewed him last week asked what he knew about the younger Dawson's employment with Benzer.

Agents also were interested in details about Dawson's work record at Davidovici establishments and whether he got any special treatment because of his father, the former executive said.

Other ex-employees told the former executive that they also were interviewed, and agents showed up last week at the corporate headquarters of Davidovici's current company, the Sugar Factory, to talk to officials. The Sugar Factory is a confectionery with four stores on the Strip. Davidovici has been divesting himself of his nightclub interests.

One employee who worked with Dawson at Gallery Nightclub at Planet Hollywood, where Davidovici was a consultant, said Dawson was not a good bartender, but everyone at the club knew he was there as a favor to Davidovici.

Some managers were fired when Dawson was not treated as an "un­touchable" and given an average schedule, the employee said.

The former Davidovici executive said FBI agents asked him last week if he knew the names of the two super­visors who were let go for messing with Dawson.

An FBI spokesman declined comment on Sunday.

Davidovici's lawyer, David Chesnoff, also declined comment.

"There is a hearing on Monday (today), and I will do my speaking in court," said Chesnoff, who also once represented Benzer in the homeowners association investigation.

Last week, Judge Dawson denied a request by Justice Department lawyers Christopher Maietta and Joseph Rillotta for roughly six more weeks to "investigate" whether the judge should remove himself from the case because of the possible connections between his son and Davidovici.

Dawson had sentenced Davidovici to three years of probation and eight months of home confinement for filing a false tax return in the tip scheme, which occurred at Davidovici's former Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace between 2005 and 2007.

Prosecutors wanted Davidovici to spend 18 months in prison for his role in overseeing the tip scheme.

But Dawson said he was concerned that Davidovici would not get the care he needed in prison for his eye condition, acute optic neuropathy, which threatens to leave him legally blind.

The next day, however, Dawson put a temporary hold on the sentencing after questions arose about his son's employment at Gallery Nightclub.

The judge insisted at the time that he didn't know where his son worked and that there were no grounds to take him off the case.

Dawson's son had obtained a work card in May 2011 as a bartender at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens, sources told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Until recently, Davidovici was a co-owner at Chateau, which is at Paris Las Vegas.

Davidovici pleaded guilty in March to filing a false 2006 tax return in the tip scheme and owing the IRS $141,306.

Contact reporter Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.