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Gangster's daughter sues Las Vegas Mob Experience
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Feb. 24, 2011 | 7:47 a.m.
Antoinette Giancana McDonnell, daughter of famed gangster Sam Giancana, has sued the Las Vegas Mob Experience, claiming the attraction owes her money.
But, the lawsuit won't delay planned March 1 opening at the Tropicana, a spokesman for the attraction said.
Spence Johnston said McDonnell's consultant contract with the Mob Experience has been canceled because she violated its terms. The spokesman provided documents, including a letter from McDonnell's former lawyer stating that no contract breaches had occurred.
Named in the complaint are Murder Inc. and The Mafia Collection LLC, parent companies of the attraction, and Jay Bloom, managing partner of those companies.
The lawsuit states that in April 2009, McDonnell and Bloom agreed to a $331,538 consultant's contract for her that was to run five years. She also agreed to a $22,300 sale price for some of her father's furniture and possessions.
Those items were never paid for, the lawsuit states, and it was a low amount that was accepted only because McDonnell expected to make additional money from the sale of other memorabilia. She also claims that the monthly payments from the consulting contract stopped three months ago and that her move from Illinois to Las Vegas caused her financial hardship.
McDonnell's lawsuit lists seven claims, including breach of contract, fraud and dealing in bad faith, and asks for at least $70,000 in damages plus attorney's fees and court costs.
Johnston also provided a copy of a Dec. 10, 2009, check for the purchase of Sam Giancana's memorabilia. McDonnell's consulting contract was canceled last week, Johnston said, but he wouldn't comment further, citing pending litigation.
In February, McDonnell's then-attorney, Robert LaBriola, wrote to the Review-Journal after reports of her troubles with the Mob Experience surfaced.
LaBriola said Bloom and the Mob Experience "are not in breach of contract relative to the Giancana artifacts. A minor issue remains to be resolved but does not in any way constitute a breach of contract."
McDonnell hired a new lawyer to file her lawsuit.
The Las Vegas Mob Experience has collected memorabilia from the families of several famous organized crime figures and built a n attraction around them .
Giancana rose to power in the mob in Chicago during the 1940s and '50s. He later became a witness for the FBI, and in 1975 he was assassinated in his home.
Review-Journal writer Antonio Planas contributed to this report. Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.
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WELL Jay Bloom can't wait to see how big of a "MOBSTER" you'll think you are when your in jail with the real mobsters!!! Your just a little punk!!! Hope you and BUBA have a nice relationship in your cell......guess you'll be the one knitting the curtains. LOL
Hey, if she needs a lawyer, Oscar will become available shortly.
Wow. Sad to see an end of a career. Looks to me like Giancana is desperate for someone to pay attention to her. Nobody cares anymore about her. She has been irrelevant for decades (if she ever even was relevant in the first place) and it's clear to me that she is trying to catch attention for herself by riding this thing. just pathetic...
She must be a left wing nut... Trying to get free money for nothing.
Why would they give this old lady a 'consulting fee' anyways? Nothing she could share that wasn't public knowledge - at least as far as this lame attraction goes.
While you're at it, Giancana, ask some of the boys if they'd be interest in running a couple of casinos? The MBA crowd has really screwed them up!
We'll get right on that!
Ms. Giancana----will we see some broken knees if these mopes don't pay up soon ??? Are you going to bring in some of your dad's "friends" if this thing doesn't get cleared up soon....????!!!