Bribery charged in fire probe

Bill Gang

Thursday, April 22, 1999 | 10:47 a.m.

Already arrested by federal officers, the owner and the manager of Anthony's restaurant have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges they bribed an insurance adjustor to let them inflate a claim for damage from a Feb. 25 fire.

The 24-count indictment returned Wednesday charges Anthony Schwabb and John D'Amico Sr. with conspiracy and fraud over the blaze, resulting in an estimated $12,000 to $16,000 damage to the restaurant at 1550 E. Tropicana Ave.

Schwabb, 51, was listed in court documents as being the manager of the business that is owned by his wife, Patricia. D'Amico is alleged to have identified himself to the insurance adjustor as a "partner" of Anthony Schwabb.

The indictment charges that between March 9 and April 6, the defendants cut a deal with the claims adjustor to authorize payment of $35,000 for the smoke and water damage resulting from the fire in the vacant business space next to the restaurant.

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