Edwards trial elicits more tales of suspected payoffs

Natalie Gott

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. - Tape recordings and testimony from a lifelong friend of former Gov. Edwin Edwards' son, Stephen, helped federal prosecutors detail an alleged shakedown of a company that wanted to put a riverboat casino in Lake Charles.

Ricky Shetler testified Wednesday at Edwards' federal racketeering trial that he gave Stephen Edwards half of the money Shelter received for doing consultant work for Players Lake Charles casino.

Edwin and Stephen Edwards are on trial with five other men, accused of manipulating the riverboat casino licensing process for a profit.

Gov. Edwards appointed the now-defunct Riverboat Gaming Commission, which granted preliminary approval for casino licenses, as well as the head of Louisiana State Police, which granted final license approval.

Shetler's testimony came under a plea agreement. He admitted to taking part in an extortion plot in 1998, just before the Edwardses were indicted, and agreed to cooperate with authorities. Prosecutors were to continue questioning him when court resumed today.

Shetler told the jury Wednesday that he was first offered $25,000 a year by Players, a level of pay Stephen Edwards considered insulting.

"Those cheap Jews," Shetler quoted the younger Edwards as saying. Stephen Edwards then advised Shetler to tell Players executive John Brotherton: "Just because they have a certificate of approval, doesn't mean they can get a license."

In a meeting shortly after the offer, Stephen Edwards suggested to Players executives that they pay Shetler $300,000 - $600,000 if they wanted a monopoly in the Lake Charles area, Shetler testified.

Shetler said he was hired June 8, 1993, at a $60,000 per year contract for three years, which was increased to $100,000 a year after Players opened its riverboat.

Jurors also heard Stephen Edwards, in his own words, describe their relationship with Players in a 1993 telephone conversation recorded by Shetler, who was recording all of his calls because he was going through a divorce at the time.

Shetler had just informed Stephen Edwards that he was getting a $50,000 bonus from Players for scouting out potential casino sites.

"They got nothing to do with you being no consultant because you can't do a damn thing for them looking at no site. It is a way for them to pay you because they know that if they are paying you and you are happy, then you will keep me from f------ with them," Stephen Edwards said.

In that conversation, Shetler also told Stephen Edwards that a deal had been reached with Players so that all of Edwin Edwards' children would profit from the boat. David Edwards was going to provide the juices that would be used for mixed drinks at the bar; Anna Edwards' company would provide some bar equipment, and Victoria Edwards would provide entertainment to Players, Shetler said.

Shetler said he himself was going to sell pizzas from his pizza restaurant in the casino concession stand.

Shetler said he often used Edwin Edwards' name to try and get more money from Players. "A number of times, I did it on specific things he (Stephen) told me he talked to his dad about."

Shetler's duties for Players included setting up meetings with influential people, but Stephen Edwards actually handled such matters for him.

"We both made the money on it and it was being split between us. I had neither the ability or the whereabouts to do these things," Shetler said.

Shetler also discussed his role in keeping the Coushatta Indian tribe from opening a land-based casino in Kinder, near Lake Charles. Shetler said he told then-Players' president Howard Goldberg that for $2 million he could keep the tribe from opening a casino.

Stephen Edwards told Shetler to tell Players that Edwin Edwards could write a letter that could hinder the tribe from opening the casino, Shetler said.

Goldberg balked at the request for $2 million until Shetler said, "Look, I'm just the messenger," Shetler said.

Goldberg later agreed to pay Shetler $250,000, which would be paid in a $50,000 bonus and $200,000 loan, Shetler said.

Under questioning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser, Shetler described his friendship with Stephen Edwards that began when the two were in high school in Crowley in the 1970s and that was in full force as Edwin Edwards was taking office for his fourth term in 1992, when Stephen, according to Shetler, made the comment: "We're going to make a lot of money this term, this time around."