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Judge orders $19,600 to former casino exec

Friday, Aug. 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

A Las Vegas federal judge ordered that $19,600 be turned over to Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, the former casino executive whose life was the basis for the 1995 motion picture "Casino."

The question of who owned the money turned into a dispute between Rosenthal and Las Vegas attorney Chris Beecroft Jr.

Beecroft maintained that the money was given to him by his client, businessman Robert Algee. But Rosenthal's former barber, Jose Trujillo, asserted that Rosenthal had given him the money as a loan and Trujillo had entrusted it to Beecroft.

Rosenthal sued the attorney, but later dropped the case. All parties agreed to let U.S. District Judge Philip Pro decide who rightfully owned the money.

On Thursday, Pro ruled that it belonged to Rosenthal.

Rosenthal, a club owner in Boca Raton, Fla., was barred from Nevada casinos in the late 1980s after authorities found evidence that he associated with organized crime, including reputed mobster Anthony Spilotro.

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