They primarily operated in Biloxi, Mississippi, but the groups reach soon stretched from Atlanta, Georgia to Tulsa, Oklahoma. He said you could make enough money each summer to last the year, and a lot of his old carnie friends travel all over the world when they aren't working fairs. I quickly learned that the carnival in question donated $1,000 to the police department and some officers didnt want to upset the carnival workers and chance losing that gift. One month later, on October 1, 2002, Frank contributed $10,000 to the Republican Party of Florida Federal Campaign Account as Jeb Bush was running for reelection to governor of Florida. Cops taking the bribes are also in violation of RICO and similar state statutes. He placed ads in gay publications posing as a young stud named Eddie Johnson to attract correspondence from unsuspecting readers. In 2012, I was contacted by NBCs Today show producer Sandra Thomas, who wanted to consult with me regarding a story about carnival games. Carnivals have close ties to not only organized crime but to local law enforcement. "For small fairs, it's very hard to even have a carnival," Ostermeier said. Another 25 percent are illegal since they are gambling games. Ignoring it, wont make it go away. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Griffin is one of at least three traveling carnival workers who have been arrested in Bucks County since 2013 with criminal records one of them for crimes They live on the road throughout the summerand fall, setting up and tearing down rides, or hosting games to bilk people out of their money (unless you know the secrets to beating their tricks). Aside from forming alliances with some members of law enforcement, the Dixie Mafia also worked alongside fellow mobsters. What sideshows have you worked in? That pretty much sums it up. A wheel of fortune in progress on a for-profit carnival midway would be a case of illegal gambling. After my shift that day, I saw that city carnival for myself and was just as shocked. On February 6, 2015, Willie Lovett was sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to obstruct enforcement of criminal laws and related gambling crimes. These are people that would otherwise be homeless if not for the ability to count to 2 with both hands. Carnivals are ubiquitous in the Garden State, but an aura of mystery swirls around the people who stage the phantasmagoric spectacles that light up empty fields They dont have ties in the community. Gaffed and chance-based games travel to thousands of carnival lots and fairs each year, raking in billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains with virtual impunity. Yeah, maybe. A continuing criminal enterprise is an example of organized crime. The cost of play builds exponentially. Any reported unfavorable incident during the annual festival would create bad press and taint sponsors as well as all involved, in addition to a loss of future revenue and visitors. WebEffective January 1, 2008, no person, firm, corporation, or other entity that owns or operates a carnival or fair shall employ a carnival worker who: has been convicted of any offense set forth in Article 11 of the Criminal Code of 1961, Is a registered sex offender, as defined in the Sex Offender Registration Act, or Meanwhile, the Dixie Mafia received hundreds of thousands of dollars during this time. They even have their own language., At least thats what people think about carnies. One of the top leaders of the Dixie Mafia, Kirksey McCord Nix Jr., had been caught running a scam from prison and even ordering a mob hit from behind bars. Few cities have ordinances that require background checks. Ranking police officers and elected politicians have always cooperated with carnival owners, as in a partnership. We have a lot of interesting family friends from the fair business. At a recent federal corruption trial, federal investigators testified that Lovett took bribes from a carnival owner during a nine-year period of carnival events from 2004 to 2013 to protect illegal carnival games including a classic old carnival game known as Razzle Dazzle. It is estimated that Lovett, while chief, took bribe installments which amounted to $75,000. As reported in the. Are the officers who wear NAME shirts really policing officers or just bouncers with the job of protecting games and ridding the midway of sore losers?. Jeff Blomsness of South Barrington-based All Star Amusements Co. said his company conducts background checks and drug tests on workers. I informed her that the gaffed carnival basketball rims are not bent by the carnies, but manufactured for the carnies, and for the designed purpose of creating a false impression of size and shape. The same carny-cops (police officers patrolling the midway), and the same returning interstate carny-outlaws appear to be working in concert for income at annual extravaganzas. WebEmployees felt differently about being labeled a carnie, a name colloquially used to describe carnival workers. A report by the U.S. House Committee on Government Reform concluded that United Shows of America, Inc. paid Rodham $240,000 for undocumented consulting services. (Regulation rims are 18 inches in diameter). Convicted of bank loan schemes in 1986 and never spending a day in prison, the Gregorys befriended Tony Rodham, brother of President Bill Clintons wife, and now presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and were awarded the contracts to operate his carnival, United Shows of America Inc., for President Clintons White House Press Picnic in 1998 and 2000. U.S. We got a magazine which has since ceased called Amusement Business which had information on that kind of job for my Regular Patrons. Well I dont think theyre shady as much as they simply look like they have come from extremely impoverished environments, or have led very harsh lives given the state of their average dental health, and their overall haggard look. They dont draw a line, everything is fair game.. He bought a truck-mounted merry-go-round and charged people 10 cents to ride it. I think most of these businesses will be gone in a few years. My dad owns a traveling carnival. The festival officials did not like my presence (which is normal), so they called police about me. Ward Hall? It was started by my grandfather in 1956. The assailants who were masked and armed ambushed the camp and used chains and padlocks to restrain their victims. WebCarny allowed the carnival workers to hide the truth of their activities from the populace. As reported in the Savannah Morning News, the government contended Lovett and Randall Roach (Magic Midway carnival owner) schemed from 2004 until September 27, 2013, when Lovett retired. NAME and Co CEO, Danny R. Huston, can gross $200,000 over the weekend and pay the sponsor one-quarter of the gross or about $50,000 for the privilege of servicing unprotected patrons. In 2004, four off-duty cops in New Orleans were implicated, with one of them federally indicted, for a charge related to conspiracy to protect and profit from a Razzle business during the carnival season. Carnival game players lose 95 percent of the time says a carnival game enforcement specialist, Corporal Glenn Hester of the Glynn County Police Department of Brunswick, Georgia. This is an ideal way for owners to feel they bought and own the loyalty of cops on their midways. In the carnival business, the slang synonymous with rig or trick is gaff; i.e., The game is gaffed. Most operators of gaffed games combine gambling with the gaff in order to pinch as much money as possible from the unwitting customer. Here, lets see if my charm works on you, Back on topic, I never did carnivals, but I have worked a freak show / side show. A new lawyer has taken the helm of the legal department at Carnival Corp., but the cruise lines longtime general counsel isnt abandoning ship just yet. For 15 years, his city has required carnival companies to submit employees' names--since a 10-year-old boy was sexually molested by a carnival worker who had just been released from prison for a similar offense. Our excitement over cotton candy and carnival rides easily matches that of our kids. Convicted of bank loan schemes in 1986 and never spending a day in prison, the Gregorys befriended Tony Rodham, brother of President Bill Clintons wife, and now presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and were awarded the contracts to operate his carnival, In 2008, campaign finance records show that Frank contributed to the following U.S. Congressional candidates: Joe Baca, Brian Bilbray, Gerry Connolly, Jim Costa, Randy Forbes, Zoe Lofgren, Mike Pence, Dennis Rehberg, and, In my early years as a police officer of the Dearborn Police Department and working the information desk, a man named Steve Nowosielski walked in to complain that carnival employees were stealing from the patrons with Razzle at the city carnival only 100 yards from the police station. Its a mix. Go to work at 6 am;go to bed at 2 am the next day. A favorite American mythologyis that of the carnie, someone who works at a carnival. Step right on up! "I think it definitely warrants another look," said Rep. Kevin Joyce (D-Chicago), who has sponsored a bill requiring background checks that was killed in past sessions. Burbank's policy--like other municipalities'--has no teeth because it cannot stop someone with a criminal history from working at a carnival, said lawmakers and law enforcement officials advocating stronger legislation. By the 1980s, many top members of the Dixie Mafia had found themselves in prison. confuse the mark, build him up repetitively and let him believe he is close to the big win. But really, what field doesnt? I got into the life through family, and though I'm in college now, I will likely go out again next season. Not to say that all carnies are no-goodniks, but I think theres enough evidence and history to see where the reputation comes from. Either way, you can generally find them within a few miles of where they need to show up for work the next day. Very long hours - up to 20 a day for five to sevendays straight. I completed a larceny report for Steve, who told about the carnival patch and offered to lend me the book by John Scarne entitled. But the operation unraveled when half a million dollars suddenly went missing. This add-up-the-score ruse, which comes in many captivating forms, involves a brilliant system of cheating, accompanied by vague, complicated rules. I pointed Thomas in the direction of a carnival supply company where she could purchase the rim, which she acquired in time for the feature. "For someone who has been convicted, served his time and is now released and rehabilitated, they have a right to work as well.". No roots, no stability. He begins to search for a sympathetic police officer for help. WebThe HBO series "Carnivle" centered around a traveling carnival in the American Southwest during the 1930s. It usually takes zero years Im a public librarian, and I gotta say I really dont like Larry who drinks in the bathroom checking that safety catch on the Scrambler, ya know? Justice on Fire is OConnors detailed account of the terrible explosion that led to the firefighters deaths and the terrible injustice that followed. Moreover, the practice of carnival owners paying police departments direct is risky and, if unchecked, sets up a dubious relationship which tends to defeat the mission of law enforcement. Knowing I was on firm ground, and having experienced a pattern of these intimidation tactics, arrest threats, and failed defamation suits on other occasions, I was wondering if these irritated cops wouldnt chance trumping up an arrest with creative writing. No state requires background checks, said Bob Johnson of the Florida-based Outdoor Amusement Business Association, a national trade group. Good ol Uncle Cecil. The bill would increase fines for amusement companies for failing to check the criminal history of new hires. YouTubePete Halat, Kirksey McCord Nixs former lawyer who once served as the mayor of Biloxi. The objective of the Razzle agent is to confuse the mark, build him up repetitively and let him believe he is close to the big win. The party moves from town to town weekly, of course. Because of the mixture of carnival-related contract money and politics, the unwritten rule in Dearborn and other towns figures to be: No enforcement of midway games!, NAME also had a contract to pay off-duty Joliet, Illinois, police officers an hourly rate of $49.92 to work security at a weekend shopping mall carnival. The Dixie Mafias territory stretched all over the South, from Georgia to Oklahoma. Carny life is not an easy one. In 2014, a Razzle victim wrote to me about being fleeced for $7,000 at a festival in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. In New York City, the Colombo and Genovese crime families were involved with profits from street and church fair carnival games; their specialty being the game of Razzle. We certainly hope this deals them a major blow, said one attorney at the time. It is not uncommon for sheriffs or police chiefs to lend themselves to sizable remunerations to ensure that these affable outlaws operate on trouble-free turf. The truth is that some of the illegal games are property of the carnival owner, and not some fictitious ace-in-the-hole independent contractor. Most flat-joints are operated by errant freelancers. . Troops Cheated out of Money at Carnival,Armen Keteyian investigated a Texas-based company called Century 21 Shows at Fort Hood for allegedly defrauding its special guests: American soldiers returning from the Mid-east war or deploying to war. They were doing anything and everything illegal down here, said retired FBI Special Agent Keith Bell, who grew up on the Gulf Coast and worked on cases linked to the Dixie Mafia. It took the media to address the tubs crimes and not police in the three tub cases cited. I remember he went about two or three years (jobless) chasing down an injury lawsuit when he got hurt on a job. Theyre not really shady, theyre just poor and scraping by. Learn all about Carnival Worker educational requirements, degrees, majors, certifications, online courses, and top colleges that will help you advance in Carnival Worker career. Police officers patrolling midways are evidently being paid in whole or in part with carnival money in the form of contracts from the carnival company or carnival sponsor. Ugh. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an criminal justice major. (AP) Three carnival workers have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple at a Kansas fair whose bodies were Yes, they are scraping by and yes they are poor, but labor ready hires anyone who is there to work at 6am in the morning . It would be a winning proposition to bet that changes in carnival status wont come overnight. As part of a self-serving marketing ploy, some carnival owners publicize their plans to make donations to local charities, in an attempt to present themselves as compassionate people in order to gain respect and support of citizens they plan to flimflam. There was also the infamous Gypsy Camp Murder in Louisiana. This complaint and the 2011 complaint to Richardson vanished and both verbal and written statements were never filed in police records. Im not a betting man, but I am willing to lay heavy odds that federal law enforcement will make carnival racketeering a higher priority once they acknowledge all the components. In my early years as a police officer of the Dearborn Police Department and working the information desk, a man named Steve Nowosielski walked in to complain that carnival employees were stealing from the patrons with Razzle at the city carnival only 100 yards from the police station. 47% of Carnival Workers have a high school diploma degree, 10% major in criminal justice. Bobby Reynolds? That could be anybody. Law enforcement must first recognize this systemic national illness and how it capitalizes on unprotected Americans. Marcello tolerated the Dixie Mafias presence as long as they played by his rules and paid for his hospitality. In an attempt to skirt responsibility for the crooks in question, playing their crooked games, Century 21 Shows manager Jeremy Bendsons acted innocent when questioned by the reporter while playing the customary independent contractor card. All states will allow honest games of chance at not-for-profit fundraisers, such as raffles or millionaire parties for charitable organizations and churches. Other blue collar labor force workers generally have a predictable place to spend the night, if only because they need to be at work the next day. Starting Jan. 1, 2019, Illinois law will require carnival companies to conduct criminal background checks of all employees. The few drifter-lifestyles left are heavily frowned upon. If legislation is passed to require companies to foot the bill for background checks, it might force them to pass costs on to already cash-strapped county fairs, said Tom Ostermeier, president of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs. There are several national stories in 2013 depicting how one tubs agent had depleted a victims back account. The mark must accumulate 100 yards (or over) to win that X-Box or HD TV. From his prison cell in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, Nix created a lonely hearts scam that targeted innocent gay men. He was an alcoholic. Risky Rides: Carnival Workers' Grueling Hours May Threaten Safety. They collected roughly $12,000, although the victims may have underreported the theft to avoid tax troubles. Carnivals have close ties to not only organized crime but to local law enforcement. Template:Cite web. Richardson was aware that I had been police trained and experienced in enforcement of carnival games. Assisting the NBCs Today show (and reimbursed for expenses) as their police carnival games expert, I was assigned by Thomas to investigate Michigan carnivals and especially the games at the 2012 Arab Festival, which draws about 300,000 patrons. Its what linguists call a cant which is their term for a private language. In April of 2015, another Razzle player stated that he lost $2,500 at a shopping-mall carnival in Tallahassee. I've worked nine years at one of the largest single-unit carnivals in the country. For a carnival owner or manager to deny responsibility is like saying I didnt run you over, my car did! When it comes to interviews, carnival owners and managers will act outraged while feigning ignorance about the rigged game and its perpetrat, John Wayne Gacy Confessed to Killing Dozens (December 22, 1978). After a fruitful investigation, Thomas phoned to say that many of the games appeared to be rigged, based on results. Lots of hard work, but I got to meet some great people - especially the bands we set up for. The flatty totally controls this game. I worked the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul last year and was averaging over $30 per hour - cash, no taxes - which was phenomenal. I typed out my detailed fraud/gambling complaint for Richardson and provided him with a copy of the Michigan Carnival Games Manual. Here is the typical scenario of a Razzle casualty: Feeling duped and dazed, the bewildered Razzle mark walks away a big loser and realize hes been somehow ripped off. If a person cheats customers, it is likely that same person will cheat the government. Often described as the Cornbread Cosa Nostra, the Dixie Mafia first emerged in the American South in the 1960s. Step right up! The carnival industrys sleazy image is in dire need of a facelift. He never held a job for long, as far as I know. I know that around here, when they need to hire local workers they pick from the pool of people on day parole, so take that as you will. Carny is thought to have become popularized around 1931 in North America, when it was first colloquially used to describe one who works at a carnival. WebCarnivals have a number of workers, each of whom has a specific role to fill. The carnival balls were regulation 9.5 inches but also gaffed by over inflation to cause intensified rebounding off the gaffed rims. Carnival racketeering is endemic throughout the United State and has been for years. But it was getting harder and harder to make money, with each fairground becoming more of a bureaucratic morass every year. Nixs former lawyer Pete Halat, who later became mayor of Biloxi, blamed the missing money on his former law firm partner Vincent Sherry, who was then a judge of the Second Mississippi District Circuit Court. Get up to work twelve hour days for the next two weeks or so, then work a twelve hour day, take down your ride, show, what have you and drive it to the next spot, without sleep, usually a few hundred miles away. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Gummo was about white trash in a small dirt-poor town. The mark will often return and become heavily invested, as the doubling effect will drain his bank account before reaching the goal line. It seems to me youre putting a lot of mental effort into coming up with a high-falutin intellectual explanation, when its simpler and more accurate to say the stereotype stems from carnies who are indeed shady. Yeah, it was a great movie, but I dont get the connection to carnies. There was no chance they would win at some of the games, said Keteyian. But he apparently believed that if he had enough money, hed be able to get out of prison. By the time all is said and done, it's usually about a 20- to 24-hour shift of hard physical labor, depending on how smoothly things go. I think the reputation of carnies goes back much, much further to the suspicion and hatred of people like the Gypsies and extending today to our dislike of fucking hippies. Get one nights sleep and start setting up in the morning. Drupal theme by ThemeSnap.com, Carnival racketeering is endemic throughout the United State and has been for years. WebThe criminal Justice system acts as a carnival mirror that magnifies the threat of street crime while minimizing the harms from occupational hazards, health care, chemicals and poverty. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. NBC News; NBC News.com Today show 7/13/2012 (and also aired on Dateline 8/19/12). By the 1980s, the blurred lines between government officials and Dixie Mafia members had become so extreme that federal authorities designated the entire Harrison County Sheriffs Office in Mississippi as a criminal enterprise. The mark will pay $4 for the next play, than $8, then $16, then $32, and so, every time 29 is tallied. Now, the mark plays for another $2 and the carny adds up the marbles in a slow accurate manner which will always translate to either no yards or 29 which is the doubling-up number on the chart and often hit because of the defeating number arrangement on the marble board. Everyone has their small group of people they work with on a ride and become close to. But for veteran crime writer and crusading editor J. Patrick OConnor, the factsor a lack of themdidnt add up. the truth is, there is little money in it, and the rides seem to be falling apart. We take pride in what we do. NBC producer Sandra Thomass Today show and Dateline features used several hidden cameras at NAMEs carnivals in June, 2012, and were able to capture on film and describe the agents cheating deadening ball maneuver during both NBC 2012 exposs narrated by NBCs national correspondent Jeff Rossen, entitled Rossen Reports: Are carnival games cheating you - and your kids?". Hey! [3] As words are assimilated into the culture at large, they lose their function and are replaced by more obscure or insular terms. As such, yeah, they do sometimes attract the less than savory folks. Gregorys little moon-walk act looks good on the six-o-clock news; however, everyone in the industry knows that carnival owners and managers are never in the dark about the corrupt features of every dirty game on their midways. The last two victims also withdrew money from the ATM. William A. Riedthaler, renowned games enforcement expert, informed me that the total figure might be as high as $40 billion. The game is designed to be impossible to spill eight marbles into holes for totals corresponding to any successful yardage gains on the conversion chart. (This practice, one would presume, should already be standard police procedure and routine.). Pusser ultimately survived the attack, but his wife Pauline was killed. For other uses, see. It is evident that the police officers oath of office is not upheld and easily forgotten by some. Today, carnival-goers lose thousands of dollars in this 100-year-old con game played all over the world. Step right up to the king of all carnival rip-offs, Razzle Dazzle, which searches for and destroys its prey. Of course, one of my friends who went home from university for the summer and has no criminal record was also one of the local workers this year. The various suspect games on NAMEs midway, vividly depicted in Biloxi and Indianapolis, are featured in Jeff Rossens and Sandra Thomass 2012 expos. The new law, sponsored by State Senator As a career police officer with the Dearborn Police Department (Michigan) and trained in enforcement of carnival games, I became concerned about this unique brand of plain view criminal activity. All 12 rims on the North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) carnival midway measured 10.5-by-17 inches on elliptical axes. In reach of the big payoff at 95 yards but broke, the mark is encouraged by the slick talking flatty to go to the automatic teller machine (ATM) and return with more money stating: You need just a few more yards to win a thousand dollars for each hundred you invested. "I'd recommend you stay with [your children] every ride and every attraction on the midway. Playing ignorant to his many crooked games including Razzle, Gregory, with feigned dismay and with an award-winning performance on camera, stated his intent to fire his swindlers. Civilized folks are always suspicious of transients, and it goes back a lot further than Gypsies. Furthermore, Lovett was convicted on two charges of extortion and two more charges of making false statements to the FBI. Gaffed and chance-based games travel to thousands of carnival lots and fairs each year, raking in billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains with virtual impunity. There must be collaboration among governmental agencies regarding the identification, tracking, and documenting of these interstate businessmen along with recognizing the moral and social ills associated with the intentions of most to take criminal financial advantage of children. I havent thought about that in a long time. This mirror serves the rich and powerful while it shapes a negative and distorted view of the poor minority. Several scout-cars responded and one bully-type sergeant threatened to arrest me. As a retired police officer, I continued to expose and help curb what I found to be a free-wheeling crime anomaly, by publishing several investigative accounts, including two books: Carnival Games: The Perfect Crimes (2010) and Carnival Games: $10,000,000,000 Hoodwink Racket (2012). WebAnswer (1 of 2): Ahh.. ciazarn. Rather the way they interact with the public is a large part of what makes them different. 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