Michael was immensely wealthy in Nevada, and he flaunted his wealth via his huge estate, his big contribution to the state university, and the lavish party he made for Anthony with its thousands of invited guests. But, when asked at the Senate hearing if he had a controlling interest in three of the major hotels in Las Vegas, he replied, “No, it is not true. I own some stock in the hotels there, but very little.”

Why would he hide his ownership of the hotels? Gambling was legal in Nevada (so was the brothel), the licenses were “grandfathered in” as Geary reminded him earlier, and the hotels would provide perfect financial cover for his ill-gotten gains (like the tribute he was undoubtedly getting from the NY “olive oil business” and, I’m guessing, from loan-sharking the degenerate gamblers at his hotels). Living as high on the hog as he did would have invited IRS scrutiny, and the Gaming Commission could easily have uncovered his ownership interests—and yanked his licenses for failing to disclose them.

Your thoughts?