Former Players Lake Charles consultant to testify in Edwards trial

Natalie Gott

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000 | 9:51 a.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. - A former lawyer for the Players Lake Charles casino said he had no knowledge of former Players consultant Ricky Shetler allegedly funneling payments from Players to Edwin or Stephen Edwards.

Patrick Madamba was being questioned by defense lawyers in the Edwards' federal racketeering trial.

The Edwardses, state Sen. Greg Tarver and four others are accused of manipulating the state's riverboat casino licensing process. Their trial started Jan. 10.

Madamba, who testified Friday, was the first witness in the Players' Lake Charles part of the trial. Players International Inc., which also owns casinos in Missouri and Illinois, was forced out of the Louisiana gambling business this year because of its involvement in the case.

Players has made a tentative deal to be acquired by Harrah's. Louisiana regulators already have approved the acquisition. The last major hurdle is approval by the Illinois gambling board, which was expected to discuss the matter this evening.

Last week, testimony from Madamba helps prosecutors set the stage for the testimony of Shetler, who pleaded guilty in 1998 to commit extortion.

Shetler, who is expected to testify sometime this week, said he funneled about $550,000 in furniture, appliances and a car to the Edwardses. Shetler, a longtime friend of Stephen Edwards, purchased a $24,000 Chevrolet Suburban and left it at Edwards' condominium in return for Edwards' help in allowing Players to temporarily maintain a monopoly in Lake Charles, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said they will prove that Stephen Edwards forced Players to hire Shetler as a consultant to get its casino license approved and demanded as much as $600,000 to guarantee Players a monopoly in the Lake Charles area.

Shetler told Madamba in July 1994 that he could ask Stephen Edwards to help Players if the casino was willing to pay Shetler what he wanted, Madamba said.

Madamba said he was concerned about that statement and similar ones that Shetler made about keeping a monopoly in Lake Charles, but really believed that Shetler was just posturing for more money.

Madamba said Players hired Stephen Edwards after Players purchased Star Casino, a New Orleans riverboat that Players moved to Lake Charles for its second casino, in 1995. Stephen Edwards was paid $15,000 a month, but did little work, Madamba said.

Both Shetler and Edwards were fired in early 1996, Madamba said.

Today, under questioning from Edwin Edwards' lawyer Daniel Small and Stephen Edwards' lawyer Jim Cole, Madamba repeated that he was often leery of the comments Shetler made such as requesting that certain contracts not be put in writing. But Madamba said he always believed that Shetler was trying to get more money from Players Lake Charles.

Madamba said that Stephen Edwards was hired by Players to lobby after Players bought Star Casino in 1995. Stephen Edwards had done legal work for Star in the negotiations with Players.

Madamba said as far as he knew there was nothing illegal about Stephen Edwards' role in the negotiations between Star and Players.

Cole asked Madamba if he was aware that Players officials had wanted Stephen Edwards to work for them to keep him away from the competitors.

Madamba then said he came to find out in the last 24 months why Stephen Edwards was really hired, but Cole did not ask him to elaborate.