Berosini-PETA battle back in court

Friday, March 20, 1998 | 10:09 a.m.

The feud between the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and entertainer Bobby Berosini, whose performing orangutans were a popular Las Vegas Strip show for years, has returned to court.

Berosini and PETA battled in a Las Vegas courtroom several years ago over charges by the activist animal rights group that the entertainer had been beating his orangutans before shows. A copy of a videotape showing Berosini whipping the animals was broadcast nationwide.

Berosini sued PETA and won a multimillion judgment in 1990, but the Nevada Supreme Court overturned the award in 1994 and left Berosini owing PETA hundreds of thousands of dollars in court costs.

PETA's former executive director Jeanne Roush alleged in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that Berosini has engaged in a "prolonged and highly complex and deceitful scheme" to hide his assets rather than pay PETA.

The legal action contends Berosini spirited away more than $2 million to a Panamanian corporation in Costa Rica and changed legal ownership of some real estate, a bus, two Rolls Royces and even the orangutans.

According to the lawsuit, Berosini and his wife have stated that the $2 million is in the hands of "some mysterious high rollers named Raphael, Raul and Jose."

The legal action asks for an injunction against further disposal of Berosini's assets and for the appointment of a receiver to take charge of the couple's holdings.