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. 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. ON AUG. 11, 1995, Jeff sat in his Flea Market office scribbling on a piece of paper, plotting his grand return to his peach palace. It wasn't the idea of gambling. Or at least he thought he didn't. In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. You think this didn't break my heart?" Houses & Cars. "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." You think this didn't break my heart?" A nurse was present to monitor his condition. 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. "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. "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. And Jeff himself had been playing poker since he was 12. But there was no gambling done that night. 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. One wag refers to them as "the Beverly Hillbillies of San Jose." she said, referring to the family-run Catholic school at the Flea Market. 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 also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. They recorded the conversation. "He took care of it." 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. They recorded the conversation. 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. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. 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. "They didn't teach anything about this. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. It wasn't the money, either. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. It wasn't the money, either. 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. Christopher Gardner 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. I'm on the hook for $15 million. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. As we do our drive-by on a Tuesday midmorning, there are more than 100 cars in the parking lot. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. "I'm a big boy." 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. Well, guess what? 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. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." FROM THE START, Jeff's three brothers and father didn't share his enthusiasm for opening a lavish gaming house. 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. 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. As legend has it, the Bumbs still send a monthly check to the widow of a former head of security who died of a brain tumor 20 years ago. "I'm a big boy." 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. 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." In the last five years, the Bumb family and its enterprises have been investigated for illegal political campaign contributions, an alleged profit-skimming racket out at the Berryessa Flea Market and even a murder-for-hire scheme involving Johnny Venzon, a former cop, convicted thief and gambling addict. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KBTX) - The family that owns the H-E-B supermarket chain is one of the richest families in America, according to rankings published by . 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. When Jeff and Brian were denied licenses for Bay 101, Tim (above) and brother George Jr. jumped in. It wasn't the idea of gambling. It wasn't the idea of gambling. 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. It wasn't the money, either. 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. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. 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. 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. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. You know the school we went to?" 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. Of the four brothers, Tim and George had faced the least resistance from state gaming officials. Tim and George Jr. worried that pressuring state and city officials to deal Jeff back in at Bay 101 would backfire and authorities would close down the card room. 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. But Jeff was confident. The guy doesn't get a slap on the hand." She told police about at least seven other sexual encounters she had with her cousin after that. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. Family Feud Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. Christopher Gardner She recalled that she was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt covered by a blanket. 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. 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." Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. Werner said no. A blue knit polo shirt covers his stocky 52-year-old frame. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. Well, guess what? (Tim Bumb, the school's director, says it was put there to save on rent. 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. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. The only reason we are driving around in his Lexus today is because he knows I have read the bizarre and bitter contents of a 2-foot-high stack of documents down at the Santa Clara County Superior Courthouse. "He worked for me." 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. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. Of the four brothers, Tim and George had faced the least resistance from state gaming officials. 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. "I'm a big boy." Within weeks, Jeff says, his six-month-old dog was dead, his cat was dead and the tires of a family car were slashed. In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. bumb family san jose net worthtop 20 highest paid wwe wrestlers 2021 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." About 20 percent of the 130 students there are Bumb relatives.) Jeff himself was hit with a federal grand jury investigation over financial transactions in connection with a multimillion-dollar residential development near Silver Creek Road. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. 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. 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. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. He can't ignore it. Campaign records show that Bumb & Associates and Bay 101 have made at least $587,000 in campaign donations since 1994 to local and state politicians and ballot measures. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) In a statement to police, Jeff's daughter recounted how the first incident had happened the year before on the Fourth of July at a family beach house near Santa Cruz when the older boy allegedly started fondling her while she was asleep on the living room couch. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. 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. "They had to find Snow White and Cinderella," Tim Bumb says, "and that was George and I." 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. You know the school we went to?" In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. 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 followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. 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. He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." "They didn't teach anything about this. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. At the time, Jeff was in the midst of negotiating an arrangement to be bought out of the family businesses. The elder Bumb may not have been feeling well, but he wasn't too sick to remember who was boss in this family. Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. she said, referring to the family-run Catholic school at the Flea Market. 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. 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. The gambling palace Jeff Bumb--the oldest son who is often described as the most entrepreneurial of the four brothers--had in mind was going to take a lot of effort and political skill. "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. Over the years, he had developed working relationships with the city's politicians and bureaucrats. 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. 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. "He worked for me." You think this didn't break my heart?" ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. "He worked for me." 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. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. "They didn't teach anything about this. Werner said no. "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. The ensuing delay forced Jeff Bumb to lay off 600 workers he had hired. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) Toward the end of the call, things got heated. Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. 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. Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. The card club has done more than bring unwanted public scrutiny to this insular group. As a compromise of sorts, he was debating whether he should apply for a license as a gaming-club manager instead of as an owner. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. I'm on the hook for $15 million. He and his brothers had a plan, he says. "They didn't teach anything about this. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" Jeff's grandfather, Frank Bumb, had met his wife, Mary, at a card parlor in San Francisco where they worked. 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. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. He started telling people around the office that he wanted out of the family business. You know the school we went to?" Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. FROM THE START, Jeff's three brothers and father didn't share his enthusiasm for opening a lavish gaming house. Hamilton, where Latin mass is conducted on a regular basis. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. 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. George Bumb Sr., an avid card player, held a regular weekly family poker game at his home. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) They recorded the conversation. 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. 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. 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. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. "It's making a whole lot of money," Bumb says of the club which city financial forecasters have predicted will gross $34.6 million this year, $11.5 million more than its cross-town rival, Garden City. 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. The gambling palace Jeff Bumb--the oldest son who is often described as the most entrepreneurial of the four brothers--had in mind was going to take a lot of effort and political skill. 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. 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. Jeff tells the story differently: "Matthew was my godson. The gambling palace Jeff Bumb--the oldest son who is often described as the most entrepreneurial of the four brothers--had in mind was going to take a lot of effort and political skill. 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. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. 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. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. (In one case, George Bumb Sr. loaned Jeff $31,250 in 1992 for his son to invest in Bay 101.) Near the end Venzon writes, "They want to bring up the 'murder-for-hire' investigation again. 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. "They didn't teach anything about this. You know the school we went to?" 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.