Crazy Horse Too wants items back

Jace Radke

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003 | 9:17 a.m.

Rick Rizzolo, the owner of the Crazy Horse Too topless club, is going to court to try to retrieve items seized last week in a joint raid by federal and local law enforcement.

During the raid, legal files from several pending civil cases, nine cash registers, several hundred sheriff's cards, computers, copies of current financial records, cash and employee files were confiscated, according to a motion filed by the club's attorney, Tony Sgro.

An affidavit filed by Rizzolo states, "Several of the items seized are of little or no use to law enforcement agencies putting together any case. Those items are, however, integral to the running of Crazy Horse Too."

Other items that the club is asking be returned include checks made out to vendors, vacation requests and other scheduling documents and files on unpaid credit card transactions.

At a hearing scheduled for Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Peggy Leen, Sgro will argue that the items should be returned to the club.

Leen is the judge who signed the federal search warrant that allowed the FBI, DEA, IRS and Metro Police to take items from the club Thursday.

Authorities said in the search warrant that the goal of the raid was to locate evidence of connections to organized crime interests in New York and Illinois and seize financial records dating to 1995.

More than 80 agents and officers served the warrant Thursday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of hidden ownership of the club by organized crime.

Only items related to the investigation were taken in the raid, FBI officials said.

The raid shut down the club at 2476 S. Industrial Road for 14 hours, forcing the club to borrow cash registers from Western Cash Register. The nine seized registers cost more than $10,000 apiece, and are of no use to the government, Sgro said.

The FBI is also believed to be investigating allegations of beatings at the club. Kirk Henry, a Kansas City man, has filed suit against the club alleging that his neck was broken in a September 2001 altercation with a bouncer.

A lawsuit filed by the family of a California man found dead near the club in August 1995 was tried in January. The family of Scott Fau alleged that he was beaten to death by the club's bouncers. The jury sided with the club, however.

Rizzolo has been linked over the years to several organized crime figures, including Joseph Cusumano, once a top lieutenant of slain mob kingpin Anthony Spilotro. Rizzolo has said that although he and Cusumano are practically lifelong friends, he no longer associates with Cusumano.

In 1999, Rizzolo was confirmed to be associating with reputed Chicago mob figure Fred Pascente, and last year Rizzolo won approval from the city to hire Albert Rapuano, a former casino executive once investigated for ties to organized crime.