HOA corruption investigation touches on former law enforcement

Three former Metro veterans are on the list of individuals of interest to FBI agents and police detectives in the public corruption investigation involving local homeowner associations and the construction defect business.

They are Morris Mattingly, Frank Sutton and Christopher Van Cleef. Mattingly, who retired after 20 years with Metro, was elected to the board of the Vistana homeowners association in October 2004 at a time he also worked for Silver Lining Construction, whose owner, Leon Benzer, has come under scrutiny by law enforcement in connection with the investigation.

Also on the list of those whose documents and correspondence are of interest to authorities is current Metro Lt. Ben Kim. His wife, Lisa Kim, is listed as an official with Platinum Community Services, which manages homeowners associations, including the Vistana association.

Another person of interest on the government's list is Charles Hawkins, who sources say was Mattingly's friend, a homeowners association board member and a one-time employee of Silver Lining.

NO FREE RIDE: Local personal injury attorney Edmund Botha's personal transportation issues were solved Thursday in U.S. District Court when a jury convicted him of evading $689,385 in taxes.

Although Botha claimed to drive a 15-year-old car with more than 100,000 miles on it, in reality he purchased at least 10 vehicles in his ex-girlfriend's name. Estimated value: more than $400,000. He also attempted to avoid paying taxes through a phony child-support agreement. The case was brought by the U.S. attorney's office, the Justice Department Tax Division and IRS Criminal Investigation.

Botha faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. That's the bad news.

The good news? Look at all the money he'll save on gasoline and car payments.

WRITE STUFF: There's no shortage of rough language on the tapes being played in District Judge Jackie Glass' courtroom during the armed robbery and kidnapping trial of O.J. Simpson and C.J. Stewart. To hear some of the characters' cheap patter, you'd think they were trying out for a B version of "Goodfellas."

But without question the toughest guy in the courtroom has to be 82-year-old Vanity Fair celebrity crime writer Dominick Dunne, who continues to gut out the trial despite suffering from bladder cancer and making a recent unscheduled trip to Valley Hospital Medical Center.

"Celebrity crime writer" makes it sound like the guy hacks for a supermarket tabloid. Fact is Dunne is a splendid storyteller. If you're new to his work, try "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles," "A Season in Purgatory" or "Another City, Not My Own: A Novel in the Form of a Memoir." The latter is about the Simpson murder trial.

SAHARA MEMORIES: The tributes to the old Sahara continue to flow in following the recent reunion by former employees.

No story about the former home to Louis Prima and Keely Smith (not to mention the Rat Pack after hours), would be complete without a few words from sports betting icon Lem Banker, who for many years operated the resort's health spa.

Lem says the spa was a popular meeting spot that drew everyone from casino man Kirk Kerkorian and Gov. Paul Laxalt to Sheriff Ralph Lamb and consummate green-felt insider Irving "Ash" Resnick.

Lem, of course, was no stranger to making a little book between saunas.

It's all right, Lem. The statute of limitations has run.

Attorney James Jimmerson recalls the many years his father, J.L. Jimmerson, worked the casino floor when Del Webb had the place.

"He worked there earlier in the '50s when it was called Club Bingo," Jimmerson says. "My dad and I knew some of the men mentioned in your column. The dealers there used to play after their shift a card game called 'Clobyosh,' a game using a 32-card deck, which is also known as 'Bela,' that has been largely lost over the years."

ON THE BOULEVARD: An adult industry insider tells the story of the recent robbery at a thinly veiled sex club on Sahara Avenue. I say the thief couldn't have gotten away with much loot.

After all, his victims wore no pockets.

BOULEVARD II: You can call O.J. Simpson many things, but he remains remarkably popular down at the Regional Justice Center. During a lunch break this week, Simpson visited with bailiffs and passers-by, waved to fans and signed a few autographs.

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