Police executed a search warrant at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority offices Wednesday afternoon in a widening investigation into misuse of Southwest Airlines gift cards bought by the agency.
Arthur Kane
Investigations Editor
Email: akane@reviewjournal.com
Phone: (702) 383-0286
X: @ArthurMKane
Named Review-Journal Investigations Editor in February 2023, Art has been a reporter, editor, producer and executive producer at top metro newspapers and a top 20-market television station. His work sparked indictments, audits and changes to state law. He has been honored with two duPont-Columbia awards, a Peabody and was a finalist for the Investigative Reporters and Editors honor. Since joining the RJ, his stories led to indictments of convention officials, the Henderson constable and a revamping of the state dental board, including the resignation of half the board and termination of the top two staffers. His stories about police misconduct and Nye County Sheriff deputies' failures to stop an impaired driver won top state awards, including Story of the Year, and Video of the Year. He also won best investigative story at the Nevada Press Association in 2021 and 2022. He was honored as Nevada's outstanding journalist in 2020 and again in 2022.
Art is also the author of "The Last Story: The Murder of an Investigative Journalist in Las Vegas" about the life and murder of his colleague Jeff German. The book was published April 30, 2024, by WildBlue Press.
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore failed to report at least $91,000 in tax liens the IRS filed against her, rental income from a house in Colorado and a house she owned in Clark County on her financial disclosures since she became an elected official, a Las Vegas Review-Journal investigation found.
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore, one of the few Republican officeholders in Southern Nevada, built a larger-than-life political profile on her big personality and fierce conservative advocacy.
The sudden downfall of Nevada Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson has shined a powerful spotlight on weaknesses in the state’s campaign finance law and the growing number of officeholders who have exploited it.
A year and a half after the Las Vegas Review-Journal won a court ruling stating that autopsy reports are public records, the Clark County coroner continues to refuse to make the documents available to media and the public.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority tightened ethics, travel and gift card policies after several employees, including former CEO Rossi Ralenkotter, were caught using airline cards for personal trips.
A Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board member traveled around the world last year at the agency’s expense amid growing scrutiny over inappropriate spending and perks for its board.
Newly released documents paint a picture of a dysfunctional Henderson constable’s office as Earl Mitchell — under indictment on five counts of theft and fraud — fought Clark County for more and more money.
Henderson Constable Earl Mitchell inflated employer tax contributions, underpaid his employees and sought money for expenses he never paid, allowing him to steal about $83,000 since 2015, authorities said in a court filing.
A Clark County grand jury indicted Henderson Constable Earl Mitchell on five felony counts Thursday after a Las Vegas Review-Journal story questioned his spending of county money.
Clark County auditors found Henderson Constable Earl Mitchell requested $85,921 more for salaries and expenses than he paid his employees — mirroring the findings of a Las Vegas Review-Journal investigation into Mitchell’s spending of county funds.
Police have obtained records under county grand jury subpoenas in their investigation of $90,000 in Southwest Airlines gift cards secretly purchased by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Retired Las Vegas tourism boss Rossi Ralenkotter said he did not intend to cash out his accrued paid time off, but newly released records show his attorney asked for more than $234,000 in untaken leave as part of a nearly $1.2 million severance package.
New Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill said Monday that the agency’s approach to spending and other business practices has not “kept up with the times.”
Nearly three months after a Review-Journal investigation led police to seize the government funds of Henderson Constable Earl Mitchell, Clark County officials continue to send money to an account that he controls.