Trial set for Rhodes in insurance case

Thursday, June 1, 2000 | 10:49 a.m.

North Las Vegas Councilman John Rhodes pleaded not guilty today in District Court to charges of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain money under false pretenses. His trial is set for Oct. 2.

The charges against the 35-year-old Rhodes were filed by the state attorney general's office, which obtained Rhodes' files from State Farm Insurance and began investigating him in March.

Rhodes declined to comment after today's brief arraignment. His attorney, Robert Lucherini, was not present.

The charges against the first-term councilman stem from a 1998 burglary at his Diana Drive home. Rhodes, who claimed he lost about $10,000 worth of property, raised suspicions when he canceled his claim three months into the insurance company's investigation.

The focus of the attorney general's probe was a set of Callaway golf clubs valued at $1,760.

As proof of purchase for the clubs, Rhodes gave State Farm Insurance a receipt from Mike's Custom Golf that included a check written by Michael Farino. When insurance agents questioned Rhodes about the check, he said Farino had died but his partner Terry Wheaton could vouch for him. Agents later discovered Farino is alive.