Of the four brothers, Tim and George had faced the least resistance from state gaming officials. Tim Bumb says writing a letter on Jeff's behalf would have violated the agreement with the police chief and put the club in jeopardy. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. 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. "I'm a big boy." And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. 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. Snow White or Cinderella? "He worked for me." He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. The two, she said, never talked about what was going on while it was happening. "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." 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." He wanted to relocate and expand Sutter's Place in Alviso from a five-table card room to a 40-table one, matching the size of Northern California's largest card room, Garden City in San Jose. 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. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. 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. 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. 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." 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. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. 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. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. 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. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. Of the four brothers, Tim and George had faced the least resistance from state gaming officials. "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. 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. One of George Bumb Sr.'s granddaughters explained to police that her family was very old-fashioned: "The woman gets the short end of the deal; she is a whore. 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. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." "Jeff is a wheeler and dealer," explained his Uncle John, the Flea Market's executive vice president and owner of the Skeeball Arcade. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. 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. He asked longtime family attorney Ron Werner if his brothers could write a recommendation letter for him, something state officials had told him he would need to be considered eligible for a gaming license. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. 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. The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." Christopher Gardner And Jeff himself had been playing poker since he was 12. You know the school we went to?" SXVB Berryessa Rd. EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. Within weeks, Jeff says, his six-month-old dog was dead, his cat was dead and the tires of a family car were slashed. It wasn't the idea of gambling. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. George Bumb Sr., an avid card player, held a regular weekly family poker game at his home. 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. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. And Jeff himself had been playing poker since he was 12. 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. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." Christopher Gardner Jeff didn't mind, though. 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. Christopher Gardner Finally, in July 1994, the state cleared Tim and George and gave them a conditional OK to let the games begin. 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. On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. October, 2020 He wanted to relocate and expand Sutter's Place in Alviso from a five-table card room to a 40-table one, matching the size of Northern California's largest card room, Garden City in San Jose. He asked longtime family attorney Ron Werner if his brothers could write a recommendation letter for him, something state officials had told him he would need to be considered eligible for a gaming license. 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. According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. 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. And Brian, the handsome and gregarious youngest brother, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the Flea Market. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. she said, referring to the family-run Catholic school at the Flea Market. It's very tightknit," says Bryant, adding that the senior Bumb doesn't give interviews--ever. Jeff's grandfather, Frank Bumb, had met his wife, Mary, at a card parlor in San Francisco where they worked. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. He asked longtime family attorney Ron Werner if his brothers could write a recommendation letter for him, something state officials had told him he would need to be considered eligible for a gaming license. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. Within weeks, Jeff says, his six-month-old dog was dead, his cat was dead and the tires of a family car were slashed. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. 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. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." "They didn't teach anything about this. "Jeff is a wheeler and dealer," explained his Uncle John, the Flea Market's executive vice president and owner of the Skeeball Arcade. When Werner broke the news that Jeff's brothers wouldn't write a letter on his behalf, he says Jeff became furious. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. 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. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. 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. 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. George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. Snow White or Cinderella? Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. 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." attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. 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. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. The Bumbs' reputation as an unconventional, insular, wealthy, large brood keeps tongues in political circles flapping. The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. 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. 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. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. He asked longtime family attorney Ron Werner if his brothers could write a recommendation letter for him, something state officials had told him he would need to be considered eligible for a gaming license. 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. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" 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. 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. Their pun-afflicted surname adds to the hillbilly mystique. 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. It's like we had no life except for the family." 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. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. ). 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. Tim now runs Bay 101, which he says is no easy task. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. You know the school we went to?" "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Christopher Gardner ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. 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. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." When family patriarch and Flea Market mastermind George Bumb Sr. was invited to attend a party with President Clinton in San Francisco a couple of years ago, he refused to go and sent his community relations specialist, Betsy Bryant, instead. 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. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. I'm on the hook for $15 million. Preventive Medicine: George Bumb Jr. is a co-owner of Bay 101, where a snakebite kit is kept on-hand as a family joke. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. "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." Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. He and his brothers had a plan, he says. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. Christopher Gardner It's like we had no life except for the family." Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. "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." Of the four brothers, Tim and George had faced the least resistance from state gaming officials. Bryant, who acts as emissary for the family and its patriarch, thinks the Bumbs are a misunderstood bunch. And for nearly a month, they did. Ultimately, Jeff says with resignation, he hopes I find the truth, "not my truth, not their truth, just the truth." 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. It wasn't the idea of gambling. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" 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. 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. The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. 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." He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. 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. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. 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. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. "He worked for me." 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." Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. Christopher Gardner He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. Preventive Medicine: George Bumb Jr. is a co-owner of Bay 101, where a snakebite kit is kept on-hand as a family joke. 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. Christopher Gardner 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. 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. 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. Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. 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. 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. George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. "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." attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. When family patriarch and Flea Market mastermind George Bumb Sr. was invited to attend a party with President Clinton in San Francisco a couple of years ago, he refused to go and sent his community relations specialist, Betsy Bryant, instead. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. And then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. He and his brothers had a plan, he says. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. 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. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." "Jeff is a wheeler and dealer," explained his Uncle John, the Flea Market's executive vice president and owner of the Skeeball Arcade. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. Soon after his confession, the word started spreading in the family about what happened. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. 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 then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. Ultimately, Jeff says with resignation, he hopes I find the truth, "not my truth, not their truth, just the truth." George Bumb Sr., an avid card player, held a regular weekly family poker game at his home. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. 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. 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. The Bumbs had a plenty of experience with a cash business through the Flea Market, which they've run for almost 40 years. "They didn't teach anything about this. And he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. "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 he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. 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." 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." Snow White or Cinderella? 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. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. The state, still busy conducting background checks, still hadn't approved the Bumbs and their partners' gaming licenses. 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. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. After learning of the incident, Jeff and wife Elizabeth did not report the matter to police immediately. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. Today, Bumb family enterprises include the local Premium Pet Stores chain, Air One Helicopters and, of course, Bay 101. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. 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. he asked. "What am I going to say to the vice president?" Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. He had the idea to open a flea market while working in the solid waste and landfill business. She recalled that she was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt covered by a blanket. "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. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. Werner said no. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. You think this didn't break my heart?" On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. "It made you tough, made you get a thick skin." Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. 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. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. 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. 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. "I'm a big boy." "They didn't teach anything about this. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. Snow White or Cinderella? Their pun-afflicted surname adds to the hillbilly mystique. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. 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.