Date: February 12, 2012
URL: http://www.rgj.com/article/20120212/NEWS/302120050/Whittemore-Seeno-lawsuits-impact-may-ripple-through-Nevada
Whittemore, Seeno lawsuits' impact may ripple through Nevada
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Some might say it's just a legal battle between rich, powerful men.
But the court fight ensuing between one of Nevada's most high-profile
lobbyists, Harvey Whittemore, and the owners of the Bay Area's largest
home-building company, Tom Seeno and Albert Seeno Jr., could threaten
the network of business, philanthropy and influence that both have
worked their entire lives to create.
Competing lawsuits between Whittemore and the Seenos make accusations
that could ultimately land someone in prison. They include claims of
embezzlement, racketeering and threats of murder and physical
violence. If any of the claims prove true, they also could result in
the loss of several valuable and coveted licenses - including the
gaming license for the casinos run by the Peppermill. The Seenos are
minority partners in the gaming empire and are listed on the gaming
license.
The Seenos claim Whittemore stole funds from their shared business,
the Wingfield Nevada Group. If that claim is true, it could cost
Whittemore his license to practice law and curtail his ability to
raise funds for philanthropy and political candidates - something he
is known for throughout the state, giving big contributions to some of
the state's most politically connected candidates.
Sam McMullen, a Las Vegas lawyer and lobbyist who has known Whittemore
for decades, said Whittemore has always been willing to step up and
organize political fundraisers. And he has done it across party lines,
he said. 'As long as I've known him, Harvey has been a force in Nevada
politics,' McMullen said. 'It will be a loss if he was no longer
active. He has done a great deal for Nevada.' For example, since 2008,
he had donated $51,000 to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
D-Nev., but he's also donated $27,600 to U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, a
Republican from Carson City.
Whittemore and his wife, Annette, are equally as well-known in the
state for their philanthropy. The couple started the Whittermore
Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease in Reno after their
daughter was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. They host an
annual gala to raise money to support the institute's research.
They've also been longtime, generous supporters of the University of
Nevada, Reno, contributing to the university's athletic programs. They
have supported the UNR Foundation and were major contributors to the
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, said John Carothers, vice president
for development at the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation. 'It's
sad, what's happening,' Carothers said.
Seeno lawyer Kent Robison said they have been in contact with federal
officials and the Reno and Sparks police departments. He would not
discuss the details of those talks. On Thursday, FBI agents served
subpoenas to Whittemore's businesses and associates at sites
throughout Nevada. They stem from allegations that Whittemore used
employees to funnel campaign contributions to candidates. And on
Friday, Reid and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley said they were giving back
or donating to charities thousands of dollars in contributions that
the Whittemore family had given to their campaigns. Phil Pattee,
assistant bar counsel for the Nevada State Bar Association, said 'the
matter is under investigation,' but declined to talk further about the
claims made against Whittemore.
Whittemore's lawsuit against the Seenos claims that they used threats
of violence and death and hired burly thugs to collect his assets,
including jewelry, homes and vehicles. Whittemore filed a complaint
with the Reno Police Department in March 2011, saying he was told by a
third party that someone in the Seeno family planned to harm him
physically, according to Reno police Lt. Mohammad Rafaqat. But
Whittemore said he did not want the police to conduct a criminal
investigation, Rafaqat said. Whittemore told the police that he only
wanted to document the alleged threats, Rafaqat said.
Bill Paganetti, the majority stockholder at the Peppermill, is a
partner with the Seenos and Nat Carasali in the Peppermill and five
other casinos in Nevada. Paganetti said he believes Whittemore's
claims were an effort to raise questions whether they are 'suitable'
to hold a Nevada gaming license. 'It is so transparent what he is
trying to do that a blind man with a stick could see it,' Paganetti
said. 'He doesn't care about the collateral damage he is causing.'
Gaming licensees can lose their licenses if they are charged with
crimes, according to Mark Lipparelli, chairman of the Gaming Control
Board. The casinos licensed under the Seenos, Paganetti and Carasali
employ about 5,000 workers. Paganetti is the majority stockholder in
the Peppermill, and the Seenos are minority stockholders. Lipparelli
said he could not comment on the Whittemore and Seeno cases, but said
'we are always monitoring the activities of licensees.'
Under Nevada law, a person seeking a gaming license must first undergo
a background check to ensure that their record is clean, but they also
must maintain a clean criminal record to retain that license,
Lipparelli said. 'To obtain the license, an applicant must look good,'
Lipparelli said. 'But if they do a dastardly deed after they secured
the license, we would file a complaint and we could take their license
away. We could call them in and say, 'You did this, and we as a board
do not believe you are suitable anymore.'' A licensee always has the
obligation to maintain their suitability, he said. If a gaming license
is owned by a partnership and only one partner committed a crime, that
person would have to be pushed out of the group, Lipparelli said. But
if the Gaming Control Board finds that all of the partners were
involved in illegal deeds, the license itself would be pulled.
The Seenos have not been accused of any crimes by federal or state officials.
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(c) 2012 Reno Gazette Journal
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