But Jeff says that privately he and his brothers had an oral agreement--which Tim Bumb now corroborates--that would one day let him repurchase his shares and become a partner in Bay 101 again. OK--we didn't get out--OK? It wasn't the idea of gambling. Jeff himself was hit with a federal grand jury investigation over financial transactions in connection with a multimillion-dollar residential development near Silver Creek Road. "I mean," Jeff later said at a deposition, "it was a time of hurt and heartache for us--and not my father, not my mother, not my brother George, not my brother Tim, not Brian could care less." A nurse was present to monitor his condition. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. In response to Jeff's legal attacks, George Bumb Sr. and Bumb & Associates filed two separate suits of their own to collect nearly $1 million in loans and interest they claimed Jeff never paid. It wasn't the idea of gambling. In February 1994, nearly one year after the San Jose City Council gave Bay 101 its blessing, the state denied the Bumbs and their partners' gaming license application. The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." Jeff Bumb remembers that when he was going to school at Bellarmine in the '60s, the other kids would call him things like "Bumbsy" or "Bumbo." During the Venzon investigation, San Jose police dug up an old file from November 1990 in which Venzon, a sheriff's deputy, had reported his department-issued Smith & Wesson 9 mm automatic stolen. In response to Jeff's legal attacks, George Bumb Sr. and Bumb & Associates filed two separate suits of their own to collect nearly $1 million in loans and interest they claimed Jeff never paid. At one point in the investigation, sheriff's detectives had Jeff's daughter call Matthew while he was working at the Flea Market to confirm the sexual activities. "He worked for me." And Brian, the handsome and gregarious youngest brother, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the Flea Market. Christopher Gardner Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. "We made it very clear to Jeff and everybody else concerned," Tim says, "that I'm not going to stick my neck on the line here. Split Personality: The Bumb family made millions off of the San Jose Flea Market (below), started by George Bumb Sr. in 1960, and bolstered its financial fortunes with the opening of Bay 101 in 1994, a project started by now-outcast son Jeff Bumb. Preventive Medicine: George Bumb Jr. is a co-owner of Bay 101, where a snakebite kit is kept on-hand as a family joke. His crimes included taking valuables from the bereaved family members of dead crime victims while pretending to console them. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. Jeff was also getting word from his nieces and nephews that his father said at a family poker game: "If it was up to him, all the grandchildren would marry each other." she said, referring to the family-run Catholic school at the Flea Market. According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. Earlier this year, a month before Venzon was sentenced to 14 years in prison, district attorney investigator Michael Schembri closed out the Venzon case, noting in a court filing, "No new information has been uncovered relating to the murder for hire case [at the Flea Market] which our department investigated several years ago." In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. The day before, Monday at noon, half of the club's tables were full of gamblers playing seven card stud, Omaha and Texas Hold 'Em. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." And then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. Near the end Venzon writes, "They want to bring up the 'murder-for-hire' investigation again. In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. In her 10 years as the Flea Market's community relations specialist, Bryant has come to adore the lack of pretension among this clan of millionaires who have their offices in a mobile home where none of the furniture seems to match. The investigation was given a shot in the arm after the arrest of Johnny Venzon in 1997, a cop who made headlines for burglarizing homes while on duty to pay for his mounting gambling debts. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. According to Werner, molestation of his daughter became part of a laundry list of damning things Jeff threatened to disclose if his buy-out demands weren't met. In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. I'm on the hook for $15 million. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. His crimes included taking valuables from the bereaved family members of dead crime victims while pretending to console them. Jeff was also getting word from his nieces and nephews that his father said at a family poker game: "If it was up to him, all the grandchildren would marry each other." One wag refers to them as "the Beverly Hillbillies of San Jose." "I liked my name," he maintains. Over the years, he had developed working relationships with the city's politicians and bureaucrats. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) At the time, San Jose, like cities throughout the state, was strapped for cash, looking at an $11 million budget shortfall. THINGS WERE certainly simpler back in the old days, before Bay 101, when the Bumbs were known for the Berryessa Flea Market, the family-owned business started in 1960 by 75-year-old family patriarch George Bumb Sr. Christopher Gardner "He worked for me." For all his quirks and controlling behavior, the old man is regarded as a benefactor by most family members and some Flea Market employees who know their boss to be capable of great generosity. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. Tim and George, under pressure from then Police Chief Lou Cobarruviaz, had already signed an agreement a year earlier that prohibited Brian, Jeff and their father from having anything to do with the card room. He also runs day-to-day operations at the family-owned Flea Market. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. Deputy chief Tom Wheatley says that police wondered if Venzon, or someone, destroyed the barrel to prevent a ballistics test from tracing a fired bullet to the gun. George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. In response to Jeff's legal attacks, George Bumb Sr. and Bumb & Associates filed two separate suits of their own to collect nearly $1 million in loans and interest they claimed Jeff never paid. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." During the Venzon investigation, San Jose police dug up an old file from November 1990 in which Venzon, a sheriff's deputy, had reported his department-issued Smith & Wesson 9 mm automatic stolen. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." Originally he was scheduled for questioning on March 10, 1997, but the old man's lawyers explained that their client was extremely ill, suffering from "severe life-threatening conditions," practically on his death bed. Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. Just so everyone got the point, Jeff Bumb announced to the press that he and Brian were divesting from Bay 101, and records show he eventually sold his shares for $1.4 million. It's like we had no life except for the family." And for nearly a month, they did. You think this didn't break my heart?" About 20 percent of the 130 students there are Bumb relatives.) "I'm a big boy." But Jeff and his family started hearing that instead of showing concern and support for his daughter, George Bumb Sr. and others in the family were blaming his freshman daughter for the incident and not her adult-age cousin. Earlier this year, a month before Venzon was sentenced to 14 years in prison, district attorney investigator Michael Schembri closed out the Venzon case, noting in a court filing, "No new information has been uncovered relating to the murder for hire case [at the Flea Market] which our department investigated several years ago." The Bumbs made millions off of their successful gaming club, Bay 101, but the experience tore the family apart and aired the dirty laundry of a once tightly-knit and fiercely private clan. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." The court saga evolved into a battle of wills between a father--a man who wouldn't even let the Vatican tell him what to do--and his oldest son, determined to break free from the old man's grasp. You think this didn't break my heart?" "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. Jeff Bumb later explained to the press that they didn't know partnerships were required to file such reports, and they paid the state a $1,250 fine. His crimes included taking valuables from the bereaved family members of dead crime victims while pretending to console them. Jeff Bumb later explained to the press that they didn't know partnerships were required to file such reports, and they paid the state a $1,250 fine. That promised to be a hard sell to the San Jose City Council, which would have to authorize both the new site and the expansion. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. Realizing that, Jeff offered to pay higher card-room taxes (next year the city expects to collect $4.5 million from Bay 101) and pick up the tab for security. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." Unlike other partners, neither Jeff nor Brian had buyback provisions in their written agreements, an intentional omission meant to appease state gaming officials who wanted them out of the picture. Jeff's grandfather, Frank Bumb, had met his wife, Mary, at a card parlor in San Francisco where they worked. Tim and George, under pressure from then Police Chief Lou Cobarruviaz, had already signed an agreement a year earlier that prohibited Brian, Jeff and their father from having anything to do with the card room. For all his quirks and controlling behavior, the old man is regarded as a benefactor by most family members and some Flea Market employees who know their boss to be capable of great generosity. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. Still Standing: Jeff Bumb, Bay 101's ostracized founder, boasts that despite various local, state and federal investigations over the years he has emerged squeaky clean. OK--we didn't get out--OK? The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. "It made you tough, made you get a thick skin." You think this didn't break my heart?" Christopher Gardner Eight days after the molestation incident was reported to police--and one day after Jeff Bumb formally refused his father's $6.9 million buyout offer--George Bumb Sr. sent Jeff a curt typewritten memo informing Jeff that he was terminated effective immediately and had to clean out his desk before 5pm. It pitted Bumb against Bumb. Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. "He worked for me." Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. And for nearly a month, they did. First, Jeff tried to have the Bumb & Associates partnership dissolved after accusing his family of trying to force him out without paying him a fair price. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. And then police remembered the old rumors about a murder plot at the Flea Market, where Venzon had worked as a security guard for more than 15 years. Seven of George Bumb Sr.'s eight grown children reside in the eastside foothills within a mile or two of their father, often on the same block. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. she said, referring to the family-run Catholic school at the Flea Market. The court saga evolved into a battle of wills between a father--a man who wouldn't even let the Vatican tell him what to do--and his oldest son, determined to break free from the old man's grasp. The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. Bumb family attorney Ron Werner suggested that Jeff and his family had a hidden motive for waiting nearly a month to report the incident to police. Other allegations were more dubious: Investigators chased after a tip that the Bumbs were skimming cash from the Flea Market parking lot, an accusation that was never proven. In fact, on the day he was arrested, records show that Venzon pawned a 14-karat-gold diamond cluster ring and a ladies' gold tennis bracelet for a total of $298 at American Precious Metals, a jewelry store at the Flea Market run by Joseph Bumb. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." "And I told you that I loved you and you are like a father to me. In February 1994, nearly one year after the San Jose City Council gave Bay 101 its blessing, the state denied the Bumbs and their partners' gaming license application. In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." According to Werner, molestation of his daughter became part of a laundry list of damning things Jeff threatened to disclose if his buy-out demands weren't met. But Jeff and his family started hearing that instead of showing concern and support for his daughter, George Bumb Sr. and others in the family were blaming his freshman daughter for the incident and not her adult-age cousin. But Jeff says that privately he and his brothers had an oral agreement--which Tim Bumb now corroborates--that would one day let him repurchase his shares and become a partner in Bay 101 again. Even though all the lights were out, she told police that she knew it was Matthew "because the moonlight shined into the room through the large windows that faced the ocean." But Jeff Bumb would greatly prefer not to talk about this. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Christopher Gardner They recorded the conversation. Christopher Gardner Jeff Bumb says he believes that state and local investigators at the time of Bay 101's limbo were investigating a rumor that Jeff had tried to get someone killed, a charge Jeff denies. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. In February 1994, nearly one year after the San Jose City Council gave Bay 101 its blessing, the state denied the Bumbs and their partners' gaming license application. SAN JOSE, CA2002-2002. One month later, the state attorney general's office made a devastating announcement: Authorities had come across issues of "such magnitude" and "concern" that they would need at least another month to decide if gambling should be allowed at Bay 101. Some improprieties did turn up: Bumb & Associates, a partnership including the four brothers and their father, had failed to file required reports disclosing more than $100,000 in political contributions made between 1989 and 1992. "They had to find Snow White and Cinderella," Tim Bumb says, "and that was George and I." In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. Well, guess what? Over the past year alone, Bumb & Associates and Bay 101 have given $56,000 to now-Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the man in charge of card-room regulation. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. "We made it very clear to Jeff and everybody else concerned," Tim says, "that I'm not going to stick my neck on the line here. OK--we didn't get out--OK? Life of Brian: Initially denied a gaming license by the state, Brian Bumb has since received a provisional license and become a partner in Bay 101 with his brothers, Tim and George. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" I'm on the hook for $15 million. And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. As a compromise of sorts, he was debating whether he should apply for a license as a gaming-club manager instead of as an owner. Christopher Gardner "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." Deputy chief Tom Wheatley says that police wondered if Venzon, or someone, destroyed the barrel to prevent a ballistics test from tracing a fired bullet to the gun. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. On March 17, 1993, the City Council gave Bumb and his partners the green light to open a 40-table card room on a 10-acre plot of land off U.S 101. When Jeff and Brian were denied licenses for Bay 101, Tim (above) and brother George Jr. jumped in. A FEW DAYS AFTER returning from his son's Oct. 13, 1995, military graduation in San Diego, Jeff and his wife, Elizabeth, got some appalling news: Their 14-year-old daughter had been involved in a sexual relationship with an older male cousin. "I'm a big boy." After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. And then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. VENZON WAS well known to the Bumbs. Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. As a compromise of sorts, he was debating whether he should apply for a license as a gaming-club manager instead of as an owner. Earlier this year, a month before Venzon was sentenced to 14 years in prison, district attorney investigator Michael Schembri closed out the Venzon case, noting in a court filing, "No new information has been uncovered relating to the murder for hire case [at the Flea Market] which our department investigated several years ago." Or at least he thought he didn't. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." Other allegations were more dubious: Investigators chased after a tip that the Bumbs were skimming cash from the Flea Market parking lot, an accusation that was never proven. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. Tim and George Jr. worried that pressuring state and city officials to deal Jeff back in at Bay 101 would backfire and authorities would close down the card room. In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. And Brian, the handsome and gregarious youngest brother, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the Flea Market. And then police remembered the old rumors about a murder plot at the Flea Market, where Venzon had worked as a security guard for more than 15 years. "My issue with [George Bumb Sr.]," Jeff Bumb complains about his father, "was his control of where you lived, what kind of house you bought, where your children went to school, who your friends are, whether your children went to college, who they would marry, what kind of wedding they would have." ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. Even though all the lights were out, she told police that she knew it was Matthew "because the moonlight shined into the room through the large windows that faced the ocean." "They didn't teach anything about this. And Brian, the handsome and gregarious youngest brother, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the Flea Market. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Life of Brian: Initially denied a gaming license by the state, Brian Bumb has since received a provisional license and become a partner in Bay 101 with his brothers, Tim and George. Even though all the lights were out, she told police that she knew it was Matthew "because the moonlight shined into the room through the large windows that faced the ocean." For all his quirks and controlling behavior, the old man is regarded as a benefactor by most family members and some Flea Market employees who know their boss to be capable of great generosity. When Werner broke the news that Jeff's brothers wouldn't write a letter on his behalf, he says Jeff became furious. "We made it very clear to Jeff and everybody else concerned," Tim says, "that I'm not going to stick my neck on the line here. They recorded the conversation. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. It's like we had no life except for the family." Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. The court saga evolved into a battle of wills between a father--a man who wouldn't even let the Vatican tell him what to do--and his oldest son, determined to break free from the old man's grasp. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. George Bumb Sr.'s loan-repayment demands came in July 1996, just as his oldest son and his wife were about to move to Los Gatos and break away from the family and its eastside enclave. Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." Though authorities were never able to prove a paid snuff plot, Jeff Bumb believes the allegations were a factor contributing to authorities' mistrust of him. (That thing that involved Jeff when Bay 101 was scheduled to open but didn't.)" He also runs day-to-day operations at the family-owned Flea Market. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. Originally he was scheduled for questioning on March 10, 1997, but the old man's lawyers explained that their client was extremely ill, suffering from "severe life-threatening conditions," practically on his death bed. According to Werner, molestation of his daughter became part of a laundry list of damning things Jeff threatened to disclose if his buy-out demands weren't met. And for nearly a month, they did. Police reports would suggest she had, "for about a year," been giving "blow jobs" to 19-year-old Matthew Bumb, son of George Bumb Jr. And Jeff himself had been playing poker since he was 12. It pitted Bumb against Bumb. She recalled that she was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt covered by a blanket. "Jeff is a wheeler and dealer," explained his Uncle John, the Flea Market's executive vice president and owner of the Skeeball Arcade. And for nearly a month, they did. Eight days after the molestation incident was reported to police--and one day after Jeff Bumb formally refused his father's $6.9 million buyout offer--George Bumb Sr. sent Jeff a curt typewritten memo informing Jeff that he was terminated effective immediately and had to clean out his desk before 5pm. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. It wasn't the money, either. Originally he was scheduled for questioning on March 10, 1997, but the old man's lawyers explained that their client was extremely ill, suffering from "severe life-threatening conditions," practically on his death bed. "He worked for me." Well, guess what? George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. When he was jailed, the desperate cop wrote a 15-page handwritten letter in pencil to George Bumb in May 1997 asking the Flea Market owner to bail him out. (That thing that involved Jeff when Bay 101 was scheduled to open but didn't.)" And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. The card club has done more than bring unwanted public scrutiny to this insular group. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. Life of Brian: Initially denied a gaming license by the state, Brian Bumb has since received a provisional license and become a partner in Bay 101 with his brothers, Tim and George. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. Police reports would suggest she had, "for about a year," been giving "blow jobs" to 19-year-old Matthew Bumb, son of George Bumb Jr.
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