Ex-casino exec discusses pressure from Shetler, monopoly for a price

Natalie Gott

Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2000 | 11:07 a.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. - A former Players Lake Charles casino executive believed a company consultant funneled money to former Gov. Edwin Edwards son, Stephen, but didn't report his suspicions because so many other company employees had the same thoughts.

Asked by prosecutors why he never reported his suspicions to authorities, John Brotherton said his bosses and many other Players employees knew about the alleged payoffs from Ricky Shetler to Stephen Edwards - and did nothing.

Players employees even coined their own phrase for the suspected payments to Stephen Edwards, Brotherton testified Tuesday. They called them "passing it on."

Edwards, Stephen Edwards and five others are charged with racketeering. Prosecutors claim the men carried out several schemes to profit from the awarding of riverboat casino licenses before and after Edwards left office in 1996.

Brotherton, testifying under an immunity deal, is expected to return to the witness stand today for more questioning by prosecutors.

Brotherton said he met Shetler in 1993 when Players was trying to get a license for a riverboat casino in Lake Charles. Shetler told him it would be in Players' best interests to hire him "at a high rate of pay," Brotherton testified.

Brotherton said he was surprised at the remark, but later told his bosses that hiring Shetler would be a good idea because of his apparent influence.

Brotherton said Shetler later told him that Players was doing business in an unfamiliar state and should "hire him and hire him quick."

"Use your brain and figure it out, John, and you better make it quick," Brotherton quoted Shetler as saying.

A meeting was arranged in April 1993 between Shetler, Brotherton, Stephen Edwards and Players International co-founder David Fischman to discuss Shetler's employment with the company, Brotherton said.

At the meeting, Edwards told the men they could get a monopoly in the Lake Charles area for a price, Brotherton said.

"Stephen Edwards told David (Fischman) that if Players would pay Rickey Shetler $300,000, he could guarantee him a monopoly for three years. And if Players would pay $600,000, he could have a monopoly forever," Brotherton said.

Although Players' potential riverboat casino license was not mentioned in the meeting, Brotherton said he believed Shetler was using the license as a threat to get hired. Brotherton said the monopoly was "sort of lagniappe."

Players hired Shetler in June, two days after a bill that essentially gave Players a monopoly in the Lake Charles area was signed into state law. The law forced voters to decide on whether any future casinos could be established Calcasieu Parish, but exempted Players because the casino already had received a preliminary certificate of approval to open its Lake Charles casino.

After he was hired, Shetler frequently asked for bonuses and said the casino would suffer if his requests weren't granted, Brotherton said.

"We felt it was in our best interest at least in this state to make the payments," Brotherton said.

Brotherton also testified that he bought a sail boat that he left at Shetler's house for Shetler to use, gave Shetler a pool table and frequently provided Shetler with money for political donations. Prosecutor Peter Strasser did not ask Brotherton to elaborate.