These sneaky tub-type games are displayed on over 90 percent of carnival midways which I had checked in Michigan, with tub-agents using the age-old deadening-ball trick on the mark. Cops who protect illegal games would be in violation (federally) of the anti-corruption legislation under 18 U.S. Code, Part 1, Chapter 73, section 1511 of RICO Act: Obstruction of State and local law enforcement.. In 2001, the U.S. Justice Department investigated the Gregorys and determined that from 1998-2001, Tony Rodham received a total of $323,769 in salary and loans from the Gregorys. I informed her that the gaffed carnival basketball rims are not bent by the carnies, but manufactured for the carnies, and for the designed purpose of creating a false impression of size and shape. The British form of fairground cant is called "polari". As for the coworkers I got along with, I never asked them about their criminal background, so I couldnt tell you. Rossen Reports: Are carnival games cheating you-and your kids?" These drifting grifters pay the head carny for the front footage of their flat-store; as much as $100-a-foot per day, reliant on the games ability to steal money. An Arizona man has been charged with human trafficking for allegedly holding Mexican workers hostage to staff his traveling carnival. While the Dixie Mafia had no formal ties to La Cosa Nostra, they did have an understanding with a notorious Italian-American Mafia mob boss named Carlos Marcello. Another 25 percent are illegal since they are gambling games. "For someone who has been convicted, served his time and is now released and rehabilitated, they have a right to work as well.". Have you ever played a carnival game and felt cheated? We have a full drug testing center on-site. I know that around here, when they need to hire local workers they pick from the pool of people on day parole, so take that as you will. I was just a kid, so I dont know what all kinds of things he did, but I do know he had a few brushes with the law. Risky Rides: Carnival Workers' Grueling Hours May Threaten Safety. (This practice, one would presume, should already be standard police procedure and routine.). (No, not that Cecil. But for veteran crime writer and crusading editor J. Patrick OConnor, the factsor a lack of themdidnt add up. The various suspect games on NAMEs midway, vividly depicted in Biloxi and Indianapolis, are featured in, This game is not only fraudulent, (deception for money), it is much worse when adults steal from young kids. In late 1991 and 1992, the grisly murder of Ault - involving carnival workers and satanism - dominated Indiana and Ohio headlines for months. In 2004, four off-duty cops in New Orleans were implicated, with one of them federally indicted, for a charge related to conspiracy to protect and profit from a Razzle business during the carnival season. Seven responded with insights into their job or advice for What sideshows have you worked in? These hardworking people are young and old, from all walks of life. I read every article, book, and case law I could find relating to these games. "For small fairs, it's very hard to even have a carnival," Ostermeier said. Rigging a game by the use of bait-and-switch, sleight of hand, magic, or physics, to trick someone out of money is considered a form of larceny or fraud. We have a lot of interesting family friends from the fair business. Work until your rides set-up, which can take up to ten hours of ass busting dangerous work. Law enforcement must first recognize this systemic national illness and how it capitalizes on unprotected Americans. On November 29, 2002, Frank peeled off $5,000 in the same Florida account only days after Jeb Bush was reelected to governor. Theres something inherently interresting in flirting with the danger of putting your entertainment in the hands of a untrustworthy-looking stranger, and I know more than one of our crew made extra money just off of their image / appearance in that way. No state requires background checks, said Bob Johnson of the Florida-based Outdoor Amusement Business Association, a national trade group. There was no chance they would win at some of the games, said Keteyian. Gummo was about white trash in a small dirt-poor town. The itinerant carnival owner pays the festival sponsor a fee or percentage of the take for the privilege of servicing the towns carnival-goers. The assailants who were masked and armed ambushed the camp and used chains and padlocks to restrain their victims. In 2008, campaign finance records show that Frank contributed to the following U.S. Congressional candidates: Joe Baca, Brian Bilbray, Gerry Connolly, Jim Costa, Randy Forbes, Zoe Lofgren, Mike Pence, Dennis Rehberg, andNydia Velzquez. I pointed Thomas in the direction of a carnival supply company where she could purchase the rim, which she acquired in time for the feature. Migrant workers in the fairs and carnivals often assemble rides with no safety training and equipment. Carnival Corp. has been on criminal probation since 2017 as part of a record-setting $40 million fine and plea agreement for illegally dumping oily waste into the My parents sold the business when I was still young, and I hated them for it because to a young kid, it was so much fun! They live on the road throughout the summerand fall, setting up and tearing down rides, or hosting games to bilk people out of their money (unless you know the secrets to beating their tricks). No roots, no stability. Police officers patrolling midways are evidently being paid in whole or in part with carnival money in the form of contracts from the carnival company or carnival sponsor. I think most of these businesses will be gone in a few years. But at the other five carnivals, nine workers had warrants and several other employees gave fake names to authorities or fled the festival grounds. During the 1960s, a group of criminals known as the Dixie Mafia began to creep across cities and towns in the South. A separate background check by Palatine police in July turned up registered sex offender Richardo Coleman of Chicago working as a merry-go-round operator for St. Charles-based Windy City Amusements Inc. Palatine does not have an ordinance, but police request a copy of carnival employees' names to run checks. It took the media to address the tubs crimes and not police in the three tub cases cited. Good ol Uncle Cecil. It is quite common for illegal carnival operators to pay off police and public officials in order to operate, says Riedthaler in the Corruption of Officials section of his police training seminar called Carnival Games Gambling and Frauds.. Pop two balloons and get your pick of any prize! It is only through undercover surveillance, search warrants, raids, arrests, Freedom of Information Act requests, and prosecutions by trained law enforcement agents that carnival owners and their representatives will get the message to start following local, state, and federal laws. NAME actually had company shirts available for their carny-cops, stating SECURITY., While working the security detail on that NAME midway, are the Joliet cops supposed to protect and serve carnival-goers, or just the carnies? But despite the massive crackdown on former members that followed, many believe that the group is still secretly active today. Well I dont think theyre shady as much as they simply look like they have come from extremely impoverished environments, or have led very harsh lives given the state of their average dental health, and their overall haggard look. Aside from being an illegal chance-based game, it teaches kids how much fun it is to wager bets several years before they can gamble legally. He said you could make enough money each summer to last the year, and a lot of his old carnie friends travel all over the world when they aren't working fairs. In 1967, McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser and his wife were attacked in Tennessee likely in retaliation for Pussers crackdown on the Dixie Mafia. Lists about the strange, fascinating, and horrifying history of circuses and carnivals in America and around the world. After a fruitful investigation, Thomas phoned to say that many of the games appeared to be rigged, based on results. Yeah, it was a great movie, but I dont get the connection to carnies. Here is the story of Edgar Allen Gregory Jr., who in 1993, was captured on film during a Dateline NBC hidden camera investigation for operating a racket-show while displaying several big-dollar-fraudulent gambling games on his mobile carnival midway at the North Tennessee State Fair. Not one ball went through any of the 12 stingy rims. The truth is that some of the illegal games are property of the carnival owner, and not some fictitious ace-in-the-hole independent contractor. Most flat-joints are operated by errant freelancers. Instead, the Dixie Mafia was a rag-tag band of crooks who were willing to do just about any crime if there was money involved. Yeah, maybe. Any reported unfavorable incident during the annual festival would create bad press and taint sponsors as well as all involved, in addition to a loss of future revenue and visitors. In my early years as a police officer of the Dearborn Police Department and working the information desk, a man named Steve Nowosielski walked in to complain that carnival employees were stealing from the patrons with Razzle at the city carnival only 100 yards from the police station. I dont have children, however, I do not plan to bring them [when I do] to the carnies that come through town here. He would work hard when he worked, but then would go on benders. For example, this letter - from someone actually defending carnies and who says theyre much-maligned and decent people, acknowledges obviously rigged games as a given. have largely been replaced by a bunch of rides and cheesy (somewhat rigged) games of skill crammed into a municipal or shopping center parking lot. It usually takes zero years For a carnival owner or manager to deny responsibility is like saying I didnt run you over, my car did! When it comes to interviews, carnival owners and managers will act outraged while feigning ignorance about the rigged game and its perpetrator. In New York City, the Colombo and Genovese crime families were involved with profits from street and church fair carnival games; their specialty being the game of Razzle. YouTubePete Halat, Kirksey McCord Nixs former lawyer who once served as the mayor of Biloxi. Bobby Reynolds? Drupal theme by ThemeSnap.com, Carnival racketeering is endemic throughout the United State and has been for years. Since then, very little has been heard about the Cornbread Cosa Nostra. When the victims got in touch, Nix duped them into sending the mob large sums of money to pay for his legal defense. Before long, other Dixie Mafia inmates got involved in the scam, placing more fake photos in gay publications and coming up with tall tales about why they needed more money before they could leave jail (or wherever else they claimed to be). Furthermore, sponsors have no way of knowing the total game profits. There are no exemptions for carnival zones. Carnival-related bribes and illegal transactions pave the way for the crooked migratory hustlers to trailer into your neighborhood for a weekend each year, never having a need to worry about arrest. In other words, carnies are not any more shady than other types of work crews that perform similar tasks - its just that people are put off by - to paraphrase Philip Marlowe - having to see the works when the lid is lifted off of life. Basically, sedentary people dont like transient people. There are several national stories in 2013 depicting how one tubs agent had depleted a victims back account. We certainly hope this deals them a major blow, said one attorney at the time. Every carnival game designed has the potential to be rigged. "I'd recommend you stay with [your children] every ride and every attraction on the midway. NBC News; NBC News.com Today show 7/13/2012 (and also aired on Dateline 8/19/12). This mirror serves the rich and powerful while it shapes a negative and distorted view of the poor minority. There was no chance they would win at some of the games, said Keteyian. They collected roughly $12,000, although the victims may have underreported the theft to avoid tax troubles. During my 30-40 minute survey for Thomas, I counted 166 attempts by hoodwinked teens at $2 a shot. After the mob apparently ordered a hit on the judge, Sherry and his wife were murdered in their Mississippi home in 1987. Training and enforcement at local, state, and national levels are the ways to address these free crime zones and thwart the commission of brazen wholesale, worry-free criminal acts. For a carnival owner or manager to deny responsibility is like saying I didnt run you over, my car did! When it comes to interviews, carnival owners and managers will act outraged while feigning ignorance about the rigged game and its perpetrat, John Wayne Gacy Confessed to Killing Dozens (December 22, 1978). With 80 yards and only having to spend $2, the mark, psyched because of such good luck, is eager to buy more spills. In 2012, a financial advisor from New York City, who read about Razzle in one of my books, wrote to inform me that he was swindled for a total of $11,000 as a result of playing Razzle at a Manhattan street fair. State legislators said carnival companies have exaggerated costs to kill bills. 15.5% of Carnival Workers are Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% of Carnival Workers are Black or African American, 5.4% of Carnival Workers are Asian, 4.5% of Carnival Workers are Unknown, and 0.1% of Carnival Workers are American Indian and Alaska Native. I watched as all the childs attempts were without the aid of the cagily removed energy-absorbing gaff ball. While planning for a San Antonio, Texas, state fair, Wade Shows carnival owner Frank Zaitshik stated that it costs him $100,000 to hire off-duty police officers. Some of the cash generated from Franks games should easily cover the overtime pay for carny-cops and perhaps some gratuity items such as free corn-dogs and Winnie the Pooh bears. This contract arrangement locks the carny-cops in as quasi-employees of the carnival or carnival sponsor and shares carnival profits in the form of pay. The average carnival worker salary is $27,198. Step right on up! WebWhile the vast majority of carnival workers are responsible and helpful, a few have been caught engaging in criminal activity. But the operation unraveled when half a million dollars suddenly went missing. From murdering authority figures to burning down buildings to creating elaborate extortion schemes, the Dixie Mafia was known far and wide as an anything-for-a-buck gang. While they were initially based out of Biloxi, Mississippi, it didnt take long for their reach to spread all across the South. It seems to me youre putting a lot of mental effort into coming up with a high-falutin intellectual explanation, when its simpler and more accurate to say the stereotype stems from carnies who are indeed shady. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an criminal justice major. he government contended Lovett and Randall Roach (Magic Midway carnival owner) schemed from 2004 until September 27, 2013, when Lovett retired. I worked the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul last year and was averaging over $30 per hour - cash, no taxes - which was phenomenal. (Source: National Council on Problem Gambling NCPG). So, I singled out a known scam artist operating one of the basketball games, Kenneth David Argo, a 12-year game agent for Huston. Dishonest carnival operators generally keep two sets of books, reporting only that sum of money as necessary, with the remainder unreported, states the Michigan Attorney Generals Carnival Games Manual.This 1987 publication is an important tool for law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys. Not to say that all carnies are no-goodniks, but I think theres enough evidence and history to see where the reputation comes from. Few cities have ordinances that require background checks. Kirksey McCord Nix Jr., one of the notorious leaders of the Dixie Mafia. WebThe criminal Justice system acts as a carnival mirror that magnifies the threat of street crime while minimizing the harms from occupational hazards, health care, chemicals and poverty. The Razzle agent, known as a flatty, carnival jargon for the operator of a crooked big-dollar table game called a flat joint or flat store, is a professional con man with an enticing appeal. Very long hours - up to 20 a day for five to sevendays straight. At that state fair, the contracted carnival, Powers Great American Midways, could gross from $4 to $6 million, as published in Business North Carolina. I paid Argo $9 and missed all five shots. And members only had to obey one rule: Thou shall not snitch to the cops.. This particular con links fraud and gambling together with a smooth-talking con artist (agent) who bedazzles his mark, and wins every time. It was a clear case of arson, and five people from Marlborough were duly convicted of the crime. OK, you GOTTA give us details! Gaffed and chance-based games travel to thousands of carnival lots and fairs each year, raking in billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains with virtual impunity. Because of the mixture of carnival-related contract money and politics, the unwritten rule in Dearborn and other towns figures to be: No enforcement of midway games!, NAME also had a contract to pay off-duty Joliet, Illinois, police officers an hourly rate of $49.92 to work security at a weekend shopping mall carnival. Gregorys little moon-walk act looks good on the six-o-clock news; however, everyone in the industry knows that carnival owners and managers are never in the dark about the corrupt features of every dirty game on their midways. I completed a larceny report for Steve, who told about the carnival patch and offered to lend me the book by John Scarne entitled. On February 6, 2015, Willie Lovett was sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to obstruct enforcement of criminal laws and related gambling crimes. Step right up! NAME and Co CEO, Danny R. Huston, can gross $200,000 over the weekend and pay the sponsor one-quarter of the gross or about $50,000 for the privilege of servicing unprotected patrons. In 2012, I was contacted by NBCs Today show producer Sandra Thomas, who wanted to consult with me regarding a story about carnival games. Carnival midways are the only venues in the United States where local Get one nights sleep and start setting up in the morning. Im a public librarian, and I gotta say I really dont like Larry who drinks in the bathroom checking that safety catch on the Scrambler, ya know? Drift along, into the next jurisdiction to start it all over. The various suspect games on NAMEs midway, vividly depicted in Biloxi and Indianapolis, are featured in Jeff Rossens and Sandra Thomass 2012 expos. Testimony was that Roach paid Lovett for protection from police while Roach cheated customers through such games as Razzle Dazzle also known as Razzle, which gave players no chance to win. Lovett was also fined $50,000. These are people that the term transient doesnt even begin to touch. Your child could be getting on a ride that is run by Charles Manson. It should be standard procedure throughout the U.S. for all police departments to require officers to complete written reports on all midway game complaints, with case numbers issued to complainants and victims. In running background checks at five events, the Illinois attorney general's office and Cook County sheriff's department found that among 179 carnival employees, To view the full story in, NBC producer Sandra Thomass Today show and Dateline features used several hidden cameras at NAMEs carnivals in June, 2012, and were able to capture on film and describe the agents cheating deadening ball maneuver during both NBC 2012, narrated by NBCs national correspondent Jeff Rossen, entitled , Are carnival games cheating you - and your kids? Often described as the Cornbread Cosa Nostra, the Dixie Mafia first emerged in the American South in the 1960s. Arrive at location in the afternoon, after working the last spot all night. I remember he went about two or three years (jobless) chasing down an injury lawsuit when he got hurt on a job. Then, just after the child paid, I observed the grifter evasively remove the deadening ball (gaff ball) at the same time he removed the demo balls. But I dont have any illusions that this is the end of the Dixie Mafia., After reading about the Dixie Mafia, meet Joe Valachi, the first mobster to expose the Mafias darkest secrets, and Frank Lucas, the real-life heroin kingpin who inspired the film American Gangster., The Little-Known Story Of The Dixie Mafia, The Cornbread Cosa Nostra Of The South. (AP) Three carnival workers have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple at a Kansas fair whose bodies were found days later in shallow graves in a national forest in Arkansas. 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