By Josh Resnek
At a time when the mayor is still busy toasting himself for helping to bring the casino here, the court process questioning how he did it has not stopped.
In fact, lawyers for both sides – Wynn and Suffolk Downs – are awaiting the outcome of Sterling Suffolk’s amended complaint, which among others, alleges the mayor took a kickback to facilitate the sale of the Everett land to Wynn Corporation.
The amended complaint is part of a Federal Civil Rico suit filed by Sterling Suffolk many months back before the summer began.
That amended complaint has been before Judge Patti Saris awaiting her decision to either allow the Sterling Suffolk amended complaint to move forward, or to be dismissed.
If she allows the amended complaint to move forward, it is a major headache for the mayor and several of those who were close to him at the time.
Also, one of the former land owners now fighting for his freedom in Federal Court, could have his case boosted dramatically toward resolution if the amended complaint is allowed.
It would also involve Steve Wynn in a proceeding that could become extremely contentious and costly.
Sterling Suffolk is seeking $3 billion from Wynn claiming the awarding process was fixed, a situation which guaranteed Wynn success at Suffolk Sterling’s expense.
The mayor could find himself fully involved in depositions along with many others as the mystery of how exactly the land deal and the license awarding process was not an even playing field for the two corporations.
Also, the allegation that the mayor received a kickback would very likely be proven if Sterling Suffolk can question those involved and detail exactly how much, how and exactly when the mayor allegedly accepted the kickback.
Judge Saris is expected to rule in early September, although she is not under any time constraints except her own.
“I’ve not heard a thing since filing,” said Attorney Stephen Storch, Sterling Suffolk’s lead attorney.
Sterling Suffolk alleges FBT, the owner of the land, hired a Demaria hanger on and bagman to provide unspecified consulting services and pay the bagman, as a conduit to funnel the money to DeMaria.
This arrangement for 3% of the land’s proceeds put the bagman on the payroll and the mayor, Sterling Suffolk alleges.
Sterling Suffolk also alleges that former Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby was an old friend and business partner of one of the land owners and that Crosby owed him money from a failed business venture and had promised to make things right by manipulating the process in favor of FBT and Wynn.
Crosby resigned under a cloud of suspicion in September, 2018.
Sterling Suffolk officials have intimated that if the Federal Civil Rico suit fails to move forward with Judge Saris denying it, they will be entering a new Federal Civil suit the next day.
So the saga of the casino land and everyone involved is sure to continue one way or the other.