The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. And then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. According to Werner, molestation of his daughter became part of a laundry list of damning things Jeff threatened to disclose if his buy-out demands weren't met. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. The court saga evolved into a battle of wills between a father--a man who wouldn't even let the Vatican tell him what to do--and his oldest son, determined to break free from the old man's grasp. Christopher Gardner Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." You think this didn't break my heart?" She recalled that she was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt covered by a blanket. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. In fact, on the day he was arrested, records show that Venzon pawned a 14-karat-gold diamond cluster ring and a ladies' gold tennis bracelet for a total of $298 at American Precious Metals, a jewelry store at the Flea Market run by Joseph Bumb. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. OK--we didn't get out--OK? It's like we had no life except for the family." Tim and George Jr. worried that pressuring state and city officials to deal Jeff back in at Bay 101 would backfire and authorities would close down the card room. Christopher Gardner But Jeff and his family started hearing that instead of showing concern and support for his daughter, George Bumb Sr. and others in the family were blaming his freshman daughter for the incident and not her adult-age cousin. Earlier this year, a month before Venzon was sentenced to 14 years in prison, district attorney investigator Michael Schembri closed out the Venzon case, noting in a court filing, "No new information has been uncovered relating to the murder for hire case [at the Flea Market] which our department investigated several years ago." One of George Bumb Sr.'s granddaughters explained to police that her family was very old-fashioned: "The woman gets the short end of the deal; she is a whore. Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. At the time, San Jose, like cities throughout the state, was strapped for cash, looking at an $11 million budget shortfall. Some improprieties did turn up: Bumb & Associates, a partnership including the four brothers and their father, had failed to file required reports disclosing more than $100,000 in political contributions made between 1989 and 1992. Don't Shoot: George Bumb Sr., the publicity-shy patriarch of the Bumb family and creator of the Flea Market, in a rare photo which appeared in California Today magazine in 1980. The card club has done more than bring unwanted public scrutiny to this insular group. Life of Brian: Initially denied a gaming license by the state, Brian Bumb has since received a provisional license and become a partner in Bay 101 with his brothers, Tim and George. In February 1994, nearly one year after the San Jose City Council gave Bay 101 its blessing, the state denied the Bumbs and their partners' gaming license application. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. But he didn't cash out. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. FROM THE START, Jeff's three brothers and father didn't share his enthusiasm for opening a lavish gaming house. The court saga evolved into a battle of wills between a father--a man who wouldn't even let the Vatican tell him what to do--and his oldest son, determined to break free from the old man's grasp. Realizing that, Jeff offered to pay higher card-room taxes (next year the city expects to collect $4.5 million from Bay 101) and pick up the tab for security. He babysat the construction site every day for almost five months. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. Still Standing: Jeff Bumb, Bay 101's ostracized founder, boasts that despite various local, state and federal investigations over the years he has emerged squeaky clean. 250 Second St. San Jose, CA, 95113-2706 (408) 277 - 1231 (408) 277 - 1252 (FAX) (800) 400 - 7115 (Information) Can I sell food or drinks? The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. Still Standing: Jeff Bumb, Bay 101's ostracized founder, boasts that despite various local, state and federal investigations over the years he has emerged squeaky clean. The state, still busy conducting background checks, still hadn't approved the Bumbs and their partners' gaming licenses. But Jeff and his family started hearing that instead of showing concern and support for his daughter, George Bumb Sr. and others in the family were blaming his freshman daughter for the incident and not her adult-age cousin. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. "He worked for me." The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. Address: 10340 Anderson Rd San Jose, CA, 95127. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" George Bumb Sr.'s loan-repayment demands came in July 1996, just as his oldest son and his wife were about to move to Los Gatos and break away from the family and its eastside enclave. When he was jailed, the desperate cop wrote a 15-page handwritten letter in pencil to George Bumb in May 1997 asking the Flea Market owner to bail him out. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. Don't Shoot: George Bumb Sr., the publicity-shy patriarch of the Bumb family and creator of the Flea Market, in a rare photo which appeared in California Today magazine in 1980. It's very tightknit," says Bryant, adding that the senior Bumb doesn't give interviews--ever. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. Christopher Gardner In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. It wasn't the money, either. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. Today, Bumb family enterprises include the local Premium Pet Stores chain, Air One Helicopters and, of course, Bay 101. "I liked my name," he maintains. But he didn't cash out. Jeff Bumb later explained to the press that they didn't know partnerships were required to file such reports, and they paid the state a $1,250 fine. Within weeks, Jeff says, his six-month-old dog was dead, his cat was dead and the tires of a family car were slashed. In fact, on the day he was arrested, records show that Venzon pawned a 14-karat-gold diamond cluster ring and a ladies' gold tennis bracelet for a total of $298 at American Precious Metals, a jewelry store at the Flea Market run by Joseph Bumb. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. First, Jeff tried to have the Bumb & Associates partnership dissolved after accusing his family of trying to force him out without paying him a fair price. Eight months later, the frame of the weapon was found in a Salinas pond near Venzon's home with the barrel and slide missing. In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. Realizing that, Jeff offered to pay higher card-room taxes (next year the city expects to collect $4.5 million from Bay 101) and pick up the tab for security. For all his quirks and controlling behavior, the old man is regarded as a benefactor by most family members and some Flea Market employees who know their boss to be capable of great generosity. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. You know the school we went to?" In response to Jeff's legal attacks, George Bumb Sr. and Bumb & Associates filed two separate suits of their own to collect nearly $1 million in loans and interest they claimed Jeff never paid. One month later, the state attorney general's office made a devastating announcement: Authorities had come across issues of "such magnitude" and "concern" that they would need at least another month to decide if gambling should be allowed at Bay 101. And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. Tim and George Jr. worried that pressuring state and city officials to deal Jeff back in at Bay 101 would backfire and authorities would close down the card room. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." he asked. Earlier this year, a month before Venzon was sentenced to 14 years in prison, district attorney investigator Michael Schembri closed out the Venzon case, noting in a court filing, "No new information has been uncovered relating to the murder for hire case [at the Flea Market] which our department investigated several years ago." AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. He asked longtime family attorney Ron Werner if his brothers could write a recommendation letter for him, something state officials had told him he would need to be considered eligible for a gaming license. That promised to be a hard sell to the San Jose City Council, which would have to authorize both the new site and the expansion. OK--we didn't get out--OK? In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. George Bumb Sr.'s loan-repayment demands came in July 1996, just as his oldest son and his wife were about to move to Los Gatos and break away from the family and its eastside enclave. (That thing that involved Jeff when Bay 101 was scheduled to open but didn't.)" Christopher Gardner According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. At the time, San Jose, like cities throughout the state, was strapped for cash, looking at an $11 million budget shortfall. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. The state, still busy conducting background checks, still hadn't approved the Bumbs and their partners' gaming licenses. Originally he was scheduled for questioning on March 10, 1997, but the old man's lawyers explained that their client was extremely ill, suffering from "severe life-threatening conditions," practically on his death bed. As a compromise of sorts, he was debating whether he should apply for a license as a gaming-club manager instead of as an owner. Even though all the lights were out, she told police that she knew it was Matthew "because the moonlight shined into the room through the large windows that faced the ocean." Christopher Gardner There were flowers everywhere. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. Some improprieties did turn up: Bumb & Associates, a partnership including the four brothers and their father, had failed to file required reports disclosing more than $100,000 in political contributions made between 1989 and 1992. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. Tim now runs Bay 101, which he says is no easy task. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. Eight days after the molestation incident was reported to police--and one day after Jeff Bumb formally refused his father's $6.9 million buyout offer--George Bumb Sr. sent Jeff a curt typewritten memo informing Jeff that he was terminated effective immediately and had to clean out his desk before 5pm. she said, referring to the family-run Catholic school at the Flea Market. I'm on the hook for $15 million. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. During the Venzon investigation, San Jose police dug up an old file from November 1990 in which Venzon, a sheriff's deputy, had reported his department-issued Smith & Wesson 9 mm automatic stolen. Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. They recorded the conversation. When Werner broke the news that Jeff's brothers wouldn't write a letter on his behalf, he says Jeff became furious. The Bumbs had a plenty of experience with a cash business through the Flea Market, which they've run for almost 40 years. Tim and George, under pressure from then Police Chief Lou Cobarruviaz, had already signed an agreement a year earlier that prohibited Brian, Jeff and their father from having anything to do with the card room. Tim, the second youngest of George Bumb's four boys, was already running the family toy business, Fact Games, and Premium Pet Stores. And for nearly a month, they did. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. Originally he was scheduled for questioning on March 10, 1997, but the old man's lawyers explained that their client was extremely ill, suffering from "severe life-threatening conditions," practically on his death bed. She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. It did the unthinkable: In February 1994, nearly one year after the San Jose City Council gave Bay 101 its blessing, the state denied the Bumbs and their partners' gaming license application. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. Preventive Medicine: George Bumb Jr. is a co-owner of Bay 101, where a snakebite kit is kept on-hand as a family joke. "He worked for me." But Jeff says that privately he and his brothers had an oral agreement--which Tim Bumb now corroborates--that would one day let him repurchase his shares and become a partner in Bay 101 again. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. And for nearly a month, they did. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." One month later, the state attorney general's office made a devastating announcement: Authorities had come across issues of "such magnitude" and "concern" that they would need at least another month to decide if gambling should be allowed at Bay 101. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. One month later, the state attorney general's office made a devastating announcement: Authorities had come across issues of "such magnitude" and "concern" that they would need at least another month to decide if gambling should be allowed at Bay 101. In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. ON AUG. 11, 1995, Jeff sat in his Flea Market office scribbling on a piece of paper, plotting his grand return to his peach palace. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." Privacy hasn't been so easy to come by for the Bumbs in the '90s, since they got involved in Bay 101. THINGS WERE certainly simpler back in the old days, before Bay 101, when the Bumbs were known for the Berryessa Flea Market, the family-owned business started in 1960 by 75-year-old family patriarch George Bumb Sr. They recorded the conversation. Still Standing: Jeff Bumb, Bay 101's ostracized founder, boasts that despite various local, state and federal investigations over the years he has emerged squeaky clean. And for nearly a month, they did. The two, she said, never talked about what was going on while it was happening. Dealers stood at the tables, ready to deal the cards. At one point in the investigation, sheriff's detectives had Jeff's daughter call Matthew while he was working at the Flea Market to confirm the sexual activities. She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. Some improprieties did turn up: Bumb & Associates, a partnership including the four brothers and their father, had failed to file required reports disclosing more than $100,000 in political contributions made between 1989 and 1992. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. But Jeff says that privately he and his brothers had an oral agreement--which Tim Bumb now corroborates--that would one day let him repurchase his shares and become a partner in Bay 101 again. But Jeff was confident. Well, guess what? VENZON WAS well known to the Bumbs. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. Campaign records show that Bumb & Associates and Bay 101 have made at least $587,000 in campaign donations since 1994 to local and state politicians and ballot measures. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. Bay 101 was Jeff's idea--no one disputes that. In response to Jeff's legal attacks, George Bumb Sr. and Bumb & Associates filed two separate suits of their own to collect nearly $1 million in loans and interest they claimed Jeff never paid. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. "It's a very strong family. Soon after his confession, the word started spreading in the family about what happened. But Jeff Bumb would greatly prefer not to talk about this. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) "I'm a big boy." "And when I visited you at your home I told you that other than God you are the only person I've gotten down on my knees for," Venzon says on page 7. "He worked for me." And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. He asked longtime family attorney Ron Werner if his brothers could write a recommendation letter for him, something state officials had told him he would need to be considered eligible for a gaming license. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. "It's a very strong family. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." Christopher Gardner he asked. Though authorities were never able to prove a paid snuff plot, Jeff Bumb believes the allegations were a factor contributing to authorities' mistrust of him. On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. But Jeff and his family started hearing that instead of showing concern and support for his daughter, George Bumb Sr. and others in the family were blaming his freshman daughter for the incident and not her adult-age cousin. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. When Werner broke the news that Jeff's brothers wouldn't write a letter on his behalf, he says Jeff became furious. You think this didn't break my heart?" "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" The two, she said, never talked about what was going on while it was happening. Tim Bumb says writing a letter on Jeff's behalf would have violated the agreement with the police chief and put the club in jeopardy. Snow White or Cinderella? It wasn't the money, either. George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. Jeff was also getting word from his nieces and nephews that his father said at a family poker game: "If it was up to him, all the grandchildren would marry each other." VENZON WAS well known to the Bumbs. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. Originally he was scheduled for questioning on March 10, 1997, but the old man's lawyers explained that their client was extremely ill, suffering from "severe life-threatening conditions," practically on his death bed. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" Finally, in July 1994, the state cleared Tim and George and gave them a conditional OK to let the games begin. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. Toward the end of the call, things got heated. Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. A FEW DAYS AFTER returning from his son's Oct. 13, 1995, military graduation in San Diego, Jeff and his wife, Elizabeth, got some appalling news: Their 14-year-old daughter had been involved in a sexual relationship with an older male cousin. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. The Bumbs had a plenty of experience with a cash business through the Flea Market, which they've run for almost 40 years. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. Tim and George Jr. worried that pressuring state and city officials to deal Jeff back in at Bay 101 would backfire and authorities would close down the card room. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." Toward the end of the call, things got heated. But Jeff says that privately he and his brothers had an oral agreement--which Tim Bumb now corroborates--that would one day let him repurchase his shares and become a partner in Bay 101 again. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. Still Standing: Jeff Bumb, Bay 101's ostracized founder, boasts that despite various local, state and federal investigations over the years he has emerged squeaky clean. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. Toward the end of the call, things got heated. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. And Brian, the handsome and gregarious youngest brother, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the Flea Market. And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. Jeff's grandfather, Frank Bumb, had met his wife, Mary, at a card parlor in San Francisco where they worked. Though authorities were never able to prove a paid snuff plot, Jeff Bumb believes the allegations were a factor contributing to authorities' mistrust of him. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. Privacy hasn't been so easy to come by for the Bumbs in the '90s, since they got involved in Bay 101. As a compromise of sorts, he was debating whether he should apply for a license as a gaming-club manager instead of as an owner. On March 17, 1993, the City Council gave Bumb and his partners the green light to open a 40-table card room on a 10-acre plot of land off U.S 101. And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. Don't Shoot: George Bumb Sr., the publicity-shy patriarch of the Bumb family and creator of the Flea Market, in a rare photo which appeared in California Today magazine in 1980. The two, she said, never talked about what was going on while it was happening. For all his quirks and controlling behavior, the old man is regarded as a benefactor by most family members and some Flea Market employees who know their boss to be capable of great generosity.
Notre Dame Football Coach Salary,
Hoi4 Millennium Dawn Best Countries,
Slavery In The Caribbean Sugar Plantations,
Beacon Theater Past Shows,
Articles B