Beatrice Richter Winger, Articles B

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. But Jeff was confident. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. Don't Shoot: George Bumb Sr., the publicity-shy patriarch of the Bumb family and creator of the Flea Market, in a rare photo which appeared in California Today magazine in 1980. "It's a very strong family. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. And for nearly a month, they did. Werner said no. His crimes included taking valuables from the bereaved family members of dead crime victims while pretending to console them. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. Near the end Venzon writes, "They want to bring up the 'murder-for-hire' investigation again. The Bumbs' reputation as an unconventional, insular, wealthy, large brood keeps tongues in political circles flapping. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. 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. 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. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. Christopher Gardner 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. Don't Shoot: George Bumb Sr., the publicity-shy patriarch of the Bumb family and creator of the Flea Market, in a rare photo which appeared in California Today magazine in 1980. 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. 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. But he didn't cash out. "I did a great job," Bumb says of the sprawling gambling club, furiously chomping on a piece of Wrigley's Doublemint, the gum he chews when he's not sucking on an unfiltered Camel. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." "And when I visited you at your home I told you that other than God you are the only person I've gotten down on my knees for," Venzon says on page 7. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. And then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. EIGHT MONTHS AFTER its approval by the City Council, the peach-colored Bay 101 held its "grand opening." "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" Tim now runs Bay 101, which he says is no easy task. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. "They had to find Snow White and Cinderella," Tim Bumb says, "and that was George and I." "They had to find Snow White and Cinderella," Tim Bumb says, "and that was George and I." After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. It did the unthinkable: 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. The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. "Jeff is a wheeler and dealer," explained his Uncle John, the Flea Market's executive vice president and owner of the Skeeball Arcade. 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 promised to be a hard sell to the San Jose City Council, which would have to authorize both the new site and the expansion. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. "They had to find Snow White and Cinderella," Tim Bumb says, "and that was George and I." The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." 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. And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) 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 pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. 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 know the school we went to?" On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. 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. Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. "It's a very strong family. 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." 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 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. Near the end Venzon writes, "They want to bring up the 'murder-for-hire' investigation again. 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. EIGHT MONTHS AFTER its approval by the City Council, the peach-colored Bay 101 held its "grand opening." "He took care of it." Behind the scenes, the Bumbs suspected their potential gambling competitors and a disgruntled former Flea Market employee of giving investigators unsubstantiated material to use against them. 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. There were flowers everywhere. The owners of the iconic San Jose Flea Market are offering to pay $2 million to a fund to support vendors who for months have protested a development plan they say pushes them out. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. Well, guess what? But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. "I'm a big boy." "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. Snow White or Cinderella? 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." 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. It's very tightknit," says Bryant, adding that the senior Bumb doesn't give interviews--ever. There were flowers everywhere. 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. You think this didn't break my heart?" Toward the end of the call, things got heated. "I liked my name," he maintains. The de Young family. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. 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. When Jeff and Brian were denied licenses for Bay 101, Tim (above) and brother George Jr. jumped in. The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." They recorded the conversation. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. His crimes included taking valuables from the bereaved family members of dead crime victims while pretending to console them. 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. When Werner broke the news that Jeff's brothers wouldn't write a letter on his behalf, he says Jeff became furious. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. 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." OK--we didn't get out--OK? Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. But he didn't cash out. 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. Werner said no. Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. Toward the end of the call, things got heated. It wasn't the idea of gambling. You know the school we went to?" The card club has done more than bring unwanted public scrutiny to this insular group. 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. At the time, San Jose, like cities throughout the state, was strapped for cash, looking at an $11 million budget shortfall. 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." The two, she said, never talked about what was going on while it was happening. 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. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. 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. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. 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." Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses.