Brouhaha makes CityCenter venues ripe for investigation

With all the menacing threats and tough talk going on, you'd think the hoodlum element never left the Strip.

I was reminded of that after learning a few details of the dustup at Beso restaurant and Eve nightclub at CityCenter. Those businesses are best known for their celebrity principal owner, Eva Longoria Parker. As such, they fall way outside my beat.

My interest was piqued after reading the affidavit of Beso principal partner Jonas Lowrance supporting his application for a protective order. He alleges stalking, aggravated stalking, and harassment by a fellow named Ronen Nachum. An Israeli citizen, Nachum is the husband of Mali Nachum, the third partner in the restaurant and nightclub. Lowrance's accusations make Ronen Nachum sound crude, violent, and decidedly old school.

"Over the past several months, the husband of Ms. Mali Nachum, Mr. Ronen Nachum, has engaged in chronic and persistent efforts to usurp operational functions in the restaurant and nightclub," Lowrance wrote May 3 in his statement. "Ronen Nachum has told all of our management personnel and members of our service staff that he is the principal owner of the venues. He is not. Indeed, Ronen Nachum has no ownership whatsoever in either of the venues nor in Beso, LLC. Ronen Nachum has also told members of management and members of our service staff that he is likewise the person in charge of all operational functions. This, too, is completely false."

Contacted Friday, Mali Nachum said she had not read the Lowrance affidavit. Neither she nor her husband agreed to be interviewed.

"We do not want to comment at this stage," she said.

In the affidavit, Lowrance accuses Mali Nachum of encouraging her husband "to usurp operational responsibilities over the venues. In doing so, Ronen Nachum has both physically and verbally assaulted, threatened and intimidated patrons. On one of these occasions, he actually punched a female patron in the face. On yet another occasion, he assaulted a food server after the server mistakenly gave a check to a customer who had been comped. In addition, Ronen Nachum frequently screams at the top of his lungs to members of Beso's management and staff and threatens to destroy the restaurant and terminate their employment."

Sounds like someone has some anger management issues. But it might be too late for therapy.

Here's the problem. Whatever the veracity of Lowrance's accusations, and one Beso source confirms the threats and bullying, the affidavit shouts for an investigation from Nevada gaming regulators and law enforcement ranging from Metro to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Maybe the investigators will have better luck than I've had trying to piece together Nachum's background. Not only is he not a Beso investor, computer database searches show nothing in his name. Not a home, not a car, not a dusty student loan.

While I've heard Nachum says he is a licensed general contractor, he isn't licensed in this state, the Nevada State Contractors Licensing Board confirms.

The Lowrance affidavit mentions a tax lien in Los Angeles, but half of California has a tax lien these days.

Witnesses have repeatedly heard Nachum bragging about owning a piece of the businesses. It's hard to know which law enforcement agency will want to put him under the microscope first.

Whether Ronen Nachum is a blast from the past or just a hothead who has watched too many episodes of "The Sopranos" should make no difference to Beso's other partners or MGM Mirage management. In the wake of the roaring embarrassments at Pure and Privé nightclubs, Gaming Control and Metro aren't showing much patience for Strip hustlers and scofflaws.

Threatening waiters and shoving around the hired help is thuggish and classless, and such moves invite an investigation.

You would think a real tough guy would know that.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.