Family of former DeNaples business partner files lawsuit seeking repayment of loan. On May 21, 2014, Mr. Denaples was chosen for the companys Board of Directors. I went over to it and knocked on the door and out came a habitless nun. Louis DeNaples is one of the most recognized and celebrated businesspeople in the country. Watch #OnTheStacks Podcast! Louis DeNaples is an American businessman, banker, and casino owner from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Toward that end, I drove out this last week to Scranton to find out more about the Rossi-DeNaples tie. In response to fresh concerns about Louis DeNaples, owner of the Mount Airy Lodge, health, a Mount Airy official on Tuesday suggested creating a free review board of trustees to oversee gambling at the hotel, should it be successful in obtaining a club permit. By early 2008, however, he had been indicted on perjury charges, in part for allegedly lying about his relationships to mobsters including William DElia, a former leader of the crime family of Northeastern Pennsylvania kingpin Russell Bufalino (played by Joe Pesci in the 2019 film The Irishman.). A month or so ago, I had asked a source with access to the files at the National Shrine to see how much money DeNaples has donated to it. A Senate subcommittee once called him "one the most ruthless and powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States." Most recently, it is FNC Bank, a Scranton, PA, piggybank with DeNaples and three family members on the board, attracting attention for a whopping $50 million loan from a taxpayer-backed program to help . In June, the former papal nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigan, corroborated my year-long reporting on Rossi, saying that he too had received reports of Rossi preying upon Catholic University students. The seven-member Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted unanimously to allow Lisa DeNaples to take over Mount Airy Casino Resort as manager of a trust that is expected to expand to include more of his children. The board's conditions will prevent any situation in which Mount Airy would have unidentified owners, said Cyrus Pitre, the board's chief enforcement counsel. This money was meant to help Main Street businesses, not casinos owned by families with alleged mafia connections, said Kyle Herrig, president of left-of-center watchdog group Accountable.US. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. DeNaples remains the financial guarantor of about $250 million in loans to Mount Airy, which means he will need to maintain a license from the gaming board and be subject to its background . Louis grandfather owned a bar called DeNaples Tavern. Is Mass Immigration Killing Two-Party Democracy in the U.S.? Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board spokesman Doug Harbach declined to address whether granting the loan might have also violated those terms, and what sanctions would apply if it did. Mr. Denaples has substantial business expertise, and the Company and the Bank have appointed him to positions of oversight due to his protracted periods of general help and charitable work. He went completely silent and looked at me. It appears in county property records as a mortgage on the Poconos property, against which an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group, the New York private equity firm owned by Japans SoftBank Group, already had a $170 million loan. The seven-member board, four of whom were appointed by the state legislative leadership, became the epicenter of a series of protracted battles over the future of gaming in the state. But Louis DeNaples was allowed to continue advising the casino. Gambling regulators did not even take note of it when they filed their official "adjudication" explaining their reasons for giving DeNaples a license. Net Worth,, Robby Wildt Net Worth, Bio, Early Life,, Bryan Rhoden Net Worth, Bio, Early Life,, Yes (Lisa DeNaples and Louis DeNaples Jr.). Choose wisely! I think he likes the challenge of (the casino business). DeNaples, 69, of Dunmore, agreed in April to divest his ownership as part of a deal with Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico to drop the charges. "on Wnep.com, April 14, 2009, Web page accessed on January 28, 2009", "Grand jury: Does DeNaples have mob ties? He is the great white whale, says Scranton Times-Tribune columnist Chris Kelly, who is one of the few Pennsylvania journalists to take on DeNaples. Chris Marinac, who analyzes banks as a research director with financial adviser Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, said it was extreme for a bank of FNCBs size to be making a $50 million loan, even if only $2.5 million of that was staying on its books. Examiners from Dauphin County eventually filed four counts of deceit against the unassuming businessman, but they were later dismissed in exchange for DeNaples turning over management of the gambling club to family members. High 53F. The businessman, standing between his daughter Lisa and State Sen. Mario Scavello, a Republican whose district includes the casino, cut the ribbon at the event, seen in an online video by the Pocono Record newspaper. The family of a Dalton man who died in September filed a lawsuit against Louis and Dominick DeNaples, alleging the Dunmore businessmen misappropriated funds from a corporation that oversaw several But it is clear that, heretofore, Rossi has benefited from the immunity extended to friends of the gay mafia and the real one. For example, the trusts can't make investments or loans to any business that DeNaples owns, has an interest in or controls. (Bufalino, incidentally, is one of the subjects of the upcoming movie The Irishman; Joe Pesci plays him.) Shiffer allegedly fed DeNaples information about the board's activities, according to the Inquirer. Louis A. DeNaples, who opened Mount Airy Casino Resort in October, was charged with four counts of perjury by the state police after a seven-month investigation by a Dauphin County grand jury. The other subpoena was reportedly issued to William Conaboy, whocurrently works as a healthcare attorney in Scranton. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. You have permission to edit this article. Lisa DeNaples said her father's vision to create a business his family could own and operate together is now being realized. Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil. (My attempt to reach him was unsuccessful.) Indeed, as Vigan has reported, the papal nuncio to the U.S. at the time, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, was so appalled by Rossis misconduct that he personally intervened to make sure that Rossi didnt get that elevation. Terrie has been an investigative newspaper reporter for over 30 years, Public asset : 12,795,957 USD. But when pressed and guaranteed anonymity, they acknowledge he is a baffling admixture of conscientious Catholic and ruthless operator. DeNaples did have on his record a 1978 no-contest plea to charges that he and three others bilked the federal government out of recovery funds following Tropical Storm Agnes. Meanwhile, Rossis immediate superior Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Rossi was ordained as a priest, gave Rossi a ludicrously wide berth, despite complaints from his priests and concerned Catholics upset by Rossis gay and opulent lifestyle. The Fortress loan was increased by $20 million July 13, the same day the casino closed on the $50 million Main Street loan, giving the resort an infusion of $70 million. Fire started by lightning leaves two displaced in Kingston Twp. Some critics of the Trump administrations response to the coronavirus, meanwhile, cast the loan as another case of rescue money being channeled away from those who need it most. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. A hearing on that matter is scheduled for June 2 before Judge James Gibbons. DeNaples remains the financial guarantor of about $250 million in loans to Mount Airy, which means he will need to maintain a license from the gaming board and be subject to its background investigations. Each day's obituaries, delivered to your inbox. In 2006,Conaboy resigned amid increasing pressure before the vote, citing "time constraints" with another full-time job he held while serving on the board. But Pleasant Valley turned over records for Idaho case, 3 killed, 1 wounded in Philadelphia shooting; 2 teens in custody, Hersheys chocolate comes full circle on Pennsylvania dairy farm. They both met and were married in America. Quick Facts PARADISE TWP. Will Bambi, as Bambera is nicknamed, allow an honest investigation into Rossi? His height is 1.7 m tall, and weight is 77 kg. "He is a very. Banks write loans under the program, but are then able to hand 95% of that debt off to the Fed, so they have fewer of their own assets at risk. Another board member is DeNaples nephew, Joseph L. DeNaples, while his brother, Dominick L. DeNaples, is a former chairman who continues to advise the company as director emeritus. The evidence was presented to dispute DeNaples' testimony that he did not have a . The board's action ends a chapter that goes back to 2009, when perjury charges against DeNaples were dismissed in Dauphin County Court and the casino emerged from a period of trusteeship. New episode every Wednesday. He has renovated banks and casinos which are managed in New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania. He was denied the gaming license for the Mount Airy Casino Resort, owing to his ties to Russell Bufalino, the head of a northeastern Pennsylvania crime family. DeNaples was not charged, nor were his properties targeted for searches. The bridegroom is the son of Dominick and Maryann Denaples, Dunmore. Louis DeNaples was born Mar 04, 1943 in USA. He gives money to Democrats and Republicans; he has had everyone from Ed Rendell to Arlen Specter in his pocket. In 1983, four people, including James Osticco, a Bufalino crime family underboss, were convicted in 1982 of jury tampering for bribing the holdout juror and her husband in DeNaples's trial. The Inquirer reported that prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office had issued subpoenas for Conaboy and DeNaples as part of a corruption case they were building against Shiffer. Sica is a colorful figure, who, upon his arrest in 2008, was found with a gun in one pocket, $30,000 in the other, and he made his first call to Uncle Louie, says a long-time Scrantonian. My source scoured the donors list and found next to the name of Louis DeNaples a designation dubbed Rossi Restricted, a designation indicating that Rossi has a personal relationship with that person. It didnt hurt, says one observer, that his father was an intimate of this mobster who just happens to be the biggest donor to the diocese of Scranton. DeNaples, I am told, has given millions of dollars to the Church over the years, financing everything from the altar at the cathedral to the Jesuit University of Scranton (where a building has been dedicated to his parents) to Jesuit Scranton Prep (where he sent his seven kids). There was an error processing your request. It seeks payment of the $3.89 million balance of a loan Dougherty made to the corporation, DeNaples Equipment Inc. This agreement was the key to the board's approval of the restructuring. Four months later, state troopers charged DeNaples with perjury for allegedly lying about whether he had connections to organized crime. His father arrived to America as a young man, while his mother Agnes immigrated from Naples. It wasnt until recently, in mid-August, that Bambera reluctantly authorized an investigation into Rossis long-rumored misconduct. His familys roots go back to the Italian immigrant community in Philadelphias Joppatowne neighborhood. Mount Airy opened in Mount Pocono in October 2007. That prior relationship became a problem when the DeNaples' projectcame before the board. Louis describes it as being the old school type of restaurant where theyd have guys playing cards and sipping wine all day.. The idea was to make banks less nervous about lending during what was expected to be a long period of tight credit. He is buying his way to heaven, says the columnist Chris Kelly. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. His land holdings are vast. Whatever the topic. Still, Louis DeNaples appears to have remained in the casinos orbit. Small banks such as Dunmore-based FNCB dont typically make such large loans and arent equipped to evaluate repayment risks and other potential perils that come with issuing the large amounts of debt permitted by the federal program, analysts said. It also seeks to compel the brothers to buy out Doughertys share of the corporation. DeNaples made a personal loan to cover $106 million which is the balance of the earlier debt amount to J.P. Morgan. I asked again and he walked away. He stands 1.7 meters tall and weighs 77 kilograms. DeNaples was accused on four counts of lying in his application for a Pennsylvania gambling license in January 2008 about his connections to the Bufalino criminal family. Career DeNaples started his business career at the age of 23, working at The Export-Import Bank of Washington D.C., where he was an assistant to the director for five years. Blake contends the brothers conduct strips away any protection the corporation afforded them, therefore they are responsible for its debts. My father was home everyday for dinner at 5:30. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. More Local Journalism to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 4/30/23, Wallace McKelvey | WMckelvey@pennlive.com, told a grand jury investigating the board in 2011, due to "poor questioning" by the board and DeNaples' agreement to stay out of the casino business, ultimately became the managing trustee and owner, Conaboy resigned amid increasing pressure before the vote. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. He likes the people, helping the local economy, helping people get jobs. Few insiders bet against Scranton-area businessman Louis DeNaples when he bought the shuttered and decaying Mount Airy Lodge resort in Mount Pocono for $25 million and declared his intention to enter Pennsylvania's budding slot-machine casino industry. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Linda Morgan/Times-Shamrock The Associated Press DeNaples had to transfer his interests in the casino to his daughter Lisa. What immediately jumped out at me was that right next to the casino is a Catholic retreat house, the Villa of Our Lady. Nothing in his DeNaples origin tale, according to the Board of Gambling, proved he was a inadmissible individual who shouldnt be able to claim a membership. The Mount Airy Lodge had become a so-called "honeymoon" resort in the 1950s, attracting a wide array of big-name performers like Tony Bennett and Bob Hope. He is an associate pastor at Immaculate Conception parish. As of August 2022, his net worth is estimated to be around $3 million. DeNaples had to transfer his interests in the casino to his daughter Lisa. (An article in theScranton Times-Tribune bears this out.) I got to the Mass late and searched a sea of white hair for DeNaples. "[6], In 2015, DeNaples petitioned the Pennsylvania Gaming Board to allow his business to conduct business such as garbage collection and snow removal at the Mount Airy Casino, however the board voted against the proposal.[7]. The gaming board will have to approve any changes in the trustees or beneficiaries of the children's trusts. Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. The board’s chief enforcement counsel, Cyrus Pitre, would not comment on whether DeNaples’ background investigation will include a review of material developed by the district attorney’s office or interviews with people who appeared before the grand jury that recommended the perjury charges against DeNaples. At Communion, I finally saw him. Under agreements reached then with the Dauphin County district attorney, Lisa DeNaples, who holds a state casino license, became head of the family trust and took control of the casino. From the Allentown Morning Call: "The 22-page decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia lambasted the federal regulators for 'bizarre,' 'untenable' and 'scatter-shot' enforcement of the law and faulted regulators for inconsistently applying the unclear and not properly framed or communicated rules. I wouldn't describe him as a risk-taker. Mr DeNaples is an individual from the Public Advisory Board of the Geisinger Federal School of Medicine. [1] Prosecutors claimed DeNaples plotted with three county employees to falsify records to obtain $525,000 in federal reimbursements. Low 41F. Later it came out that DeNaples had given Sica over $200,000 in loans. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! To say that Walter Rossi's father has been central to the DeNaples empire is an understatement. (You can unsubscribe anytime), Monsignor Walter Rossis Connection to Louis DeNaples, the Scrantonian Billionaire Indicted for Mob Ties. "You judge a man by his whole life, not something that happened 30 years ago and I think when you judge Mr. DeNaples by his whole life, he is an honorable person," Cognetti told the gaming board in October. Also View Elliot Tebeles Net Worth, Bio, Career, and More. On May 10, 2012, a three-judge panel denied his appeal and ordered his immediate resignation. His son, Louis A. DeNaples Jr., is also on the board as the banks vice chairman with a 1.3% stake, and is the beneficiary of one of the seven trusts that share ownership of the Mount Airy casino. D'Elia told the grand jury DeNaples attended the funeral of D'Elia's mother in 1980. From humble beginnings (his family couldn't afford to send him to college), DeNaples built an empire that includes two landfills, an auto parts store, and interests in banking, real estate, garbage disposal, heavy equipment and scores of other businesses. They met and married in the United States. He was granted his casino license in late 2006 and opened his $412 million resort about a year later. I went outside and waited by the exit from which he was likely to leave. But while DeNaples has been able to put his Agnes woes behind him, he has been less successful at shaking persistent rumors about the mob. The bride is the daughter of Michael and Michele Wilk, Roaring Brook Twp. The place gives off evil airs., I visited that casino to get a better sense of DeNaples, a visit that illuminated his strange concoction of Catholicism and seedy business. Louis DeNaples has two children, a daughter and a son, namely Lisa DeNaples and Louis DeNaples Jr. His son is also now part of Bancorp and its shares. HARRISBURG - State gambling regulators yesterday agreed to allow Louis DeNaples to hand off his Pocono Mountains casino to his daughter as part of a deal with prosecutors who agreed to drop criminal charges against the wealthy businessman. /**/. This page is not available in other languages. (One small example of that relationship is that Rossi had me originally barred from the Shrine for nothing more than writing critical articles about Wuerl.) Still, the board approved a series of conditions for the expanded family trust designed to keep DeNaples removed from casino business. Not all of us have worked for community banks our whole careers, so we have a lot of exposure to the credit-underwriting process, he said. While he was not the target of the investigation in question, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that he was the subject one of the subpoenas Kane revoked. The board's action follows an April 19 refinancing agreement with J.P. Morgan Chase to reduce Mount Airy's debt from $271 million to $165 million. There are rules in place against making loans that favor businesses owned by bank officers or owners of a significant interest in the bank, it said. In a phone interview, Brian Cali, attorney for the DeNaples, denied there was any tax scheme or that Dougherty is owed any money. But in the course of researching Rossis connection to sinister gay mafia figures, I kept hearing stories about his ties to another mafia the Italian one. The suit, filed by the estate of Stephen Dougherty, alleges the DeNaples brothers engaged in various conduct that benefited them at the expense of Dougherty. While there, he began his rise in the banking industry, which helped him become one of the most recognized banking names. Green Ridge Club back on market at reduced price, Lackawanna County eyes drive-thru for paying taxes, Newlyweds who fell in love at YMCA start scholarship for children. He also said his bank was fully capable of evaluating any risks associated with the large loan.