Lawyers’ group files suit against ex-leader

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998 | 11:19 a.m.

The woman whose contract for a coffee concession at McCarran International Airport was the subject of an ethics inquiry against a county commissioner now has her own problems as a result of a lawsuit filed against her.

The International Association of Gaming Attorneys on Monday filed the lawsuit against Judy Klein alleging she stole, embezzled or misappropriated more than $100,000 in association funds during the eight years she worked as its executive director.

The lawsuit charges that Klein, also known as Judy Klein-Bloomfield, who was in charge of association finances gathered from membership dues, conference fees and corporate contributions, diverted them for her own use between 1991 and 1998.

She is alleged to have misused the association's American Express account, paid herself additional salary and transferred money into her own checking account without authorization, according to the lawsuit filed by attorney William Cooper.

Klein's job until April 8, 1998, was to run the association of lawyers involved in the gaming industry, which conducts annual conferences for its members. She scheduled and coordinated the conferences, meetings and events and maintained the financial records.

The lawsuit seeks reimbursement of the funds alleged to have been misappropriated and other unspecified damages.

Klein's award of a coffee concession at McCarran resulted in an ethics complaint against her friend, County Commissioner Myrna Williams, because Williams voted for the contract without revealing her friendship. The state Ethics Commission, however, concluded that Williams had not violated ethics laws.