attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. 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. Hamilton, where Latin mass is conducted on a regular basis. 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. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. 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." He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. I'm on the hook for $15 million. EIGHT MONTHS AFTER its approval by the City Council, the peach-colored Bay 101 held its "grand opening." 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. 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. Police reports would suggest she had, "for about a year," been giving "blow jobs" to 19-year-old Matthew Bumb, son of George Bumb Jr. "I mean," Jeff later said at a deposition, "it was a time of hurt and heartache for us--and not my father, not my mother, not my brother George, not my brother Tim, not Brian could care less." Well, guess what? Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." (Tim Bumb, the school's director, says it was put there to save on rent. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." "And I told you that I loved you and you are like a father to me. Over the past year alone, Bumb & Associates and Bay 101 have given $56,000 to now-Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the man in charge of card-room regulation. You think this didn't break my heart?" attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. Within weeks, Jeff says, his six-month-old dog was dead, his cat was dead and the tires of a family car were slashed. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. The Bumbs had a plenty of experience with a cash business through the Flea Market, which they've run for almost 40 years. "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. Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. Three years ago, the Mercury News listed the Bumb family in the Top 10 of the valley's most generous political contributors. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." 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. 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. 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. 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. he asked. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. 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. 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. There were flowers everywhere. Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. In the last five years, the Bumb family and its enterprises have been investigated for illegal political campaign contributions, an alleged profit-skimming racket out at the Berryessa Flea Market and even a murder-for-hire scheme involving Johnny Venzon, a former cop, convicted thief and gambling addict. 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 took care of it." The card club has done more than bring unwanted public scrutiny to this insular group. Dealers stood at the tables, ready to deal the cards. She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. 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. And for nearly a month, they did. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. "It made you tough, made you get a thick skin." Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." When family patriarch and Flea Market mastermind George Bumb Sr. was invited to attend a party with President Clinton in San Francisco a couple of years ago, he refused to go and sent his community relations specialist, Betsy Bryant, instead. "What am I going to say to the vice president?" 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. The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. 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. Werner said no. Seven of George Bumb Sr.'s eight grown children reside in the eastside foothills within a mile or two of their father, often on the same block. Three years ago, the Mercury News listed the Bumb family in the Top 10 of the valley's most generous political contributors. The two, she said, never talked about what was going on while it was happening. Behind the scenes, the Bumbs suspected their potential gambling competitors and a disgruntled former Flea Market employee of giving investigators unsubstantiated material to use against them. 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. 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. On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. 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. 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. (Tim Bumb, the school's director, says it was put there to save on rent. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. 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. He can't ignore it. Jeff Bumb says he believes that state and local investigators at the time of Bay 101's limbo were investigating a rumor that Jeff had tried to get someone killed, a charge Jeff denies. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. FROM THE START, Jeff's three brothers and father didn't share his enthusiasm for opening a lavish gaming house. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. And then police remembered the old rumors about a murder plot at the Flea Market, where Venzon had worked as a security guard for more than 15 years. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. 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. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. Within weeks, Jeff says, his six-month-old dog was dead, his cat was dead and the tires of a family car were slashed. He chose the building's peachy-pink paint job, he says, because he wanted "a pleasant, welcoming earth tone." 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 also runs day-to-day operations at the family-owned Flea Market. Jeff Bumb says he believes that state and local investigators at the time of Bay 101's limbo were investigating a rumor that Jeff had tried to get someone killed, a charge Jeff denies. Place of living: Nadia lives in Los Angeles, where she was born, together with her family. 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. 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. She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. 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. When Werner broke the news that Jeff's brothers wouldn't write a letter on his behalf, he says Jeff became furious. Unlike other partners, neither Jeff nor Brian had buyback provisions in their written agreements, an intentional omission meant to appease state gaming officials who wanted them out of the picture. 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. "We made it very clear to Jeff and everybody else concerned," Tim says, "that I'm not going to stick my neck on the line here. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. You think this didn't break my heart?" 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. "I did a great job," Bumb says of the sprawling gambling club, furiously chomping on a piece of Wrigley's Doublemint, the gum he chews when he's not sucking on an unfiltered Camel. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. 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." She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. 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. Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. I'm on the hook for $15 million. The Bumbs had a plenty of experience with a cash business through the Flea Market, which they've run for almost 40 years. Tim now runs Bay 101, which he says is no easy task. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. Of the four brothers, Tim and George had faced the least resistance from state gaming officials. Just so everyone got the point, Jeff Bumb announced to the press that he and Brian were divesting from Bay 101, and records show he eventually sold his shares for $1.4 million. The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. Soon after his confession, the word started spreading in the family about what happened. "The thing they probably value most is their privacy," Bryant explains. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. One wag refers to them as "the Beverly Hillbillies of San Jose." In the last five years, the Bumb family and its enterprises have been investigated for illegal political campaign contributions, an alleged profit-skimming racket out at the Berryessa Flea Market and even a murder-for-hire scheme involving Johnny Venzon, a former cop, convicted thief and gambling addict. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. "What am I going to say to the vice president?" But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. 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 guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. EIGHT MONTHS AFTER its approval by the City Council, the peach-colored Bay 101 held its "grand opening." The Bumbs had a plenty of experience with a cash business through the Flea Market, which they've run for almost 40 years. Deputy chief Tom Wheatley says that police wondered if Venzon, or someone, destroyed the barrel to prevent a ballistics test from tracing a fired bullet to the gun. (That thing that involved Jeff when Bay 101 was scheduled to open but didn't.)" 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. 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. "The thing they probably value most is their privacy," Bryant explains. 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. VENZON WAS well known to the Bumbs. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. Toward the end of the call, things got heated. 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. "We made it very clear to Jeff and everybody else concerned," Tim says, "that I'm not going to stick my neck on the line here.
Colville Tribe Covid Relief Fund,
Dom Based Cross Site Scripting Prevention,
Articles B
bumb family san jose net worth