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. 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. 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 weekends he'd bring his wife and a few of his 10 kids down there, too. Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. 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. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. 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. "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. Christopher Gardner Christopher Gardner On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" Toward the end of the call, things got heated. Dealers stood at the tables, ready to deal the cards. Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. 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. When Jeff and Brian were denied licenses for Bay 101, Tim (above) and brother George Jr. jumped in. "He worked for me." And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. "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." He demanded $10 million from his brothers to compensate him for violating the purported secret Bay 101 deal. EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. "I did a great job," Bumb says of the sprawling gambling club, furiously chomping on a piece of Wrigley's Doublemint, the gum he chews when he's not sucking on an unfiltered Camel. 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. (That thing that involved Jeff when Bay 101 was scheduled to open but didn't.)" George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. 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 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. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. 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. 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. 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. "It's a very strong family. There were flowers everywhere. 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. And for nearly a month, they did. 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. Christopher Gardner And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. And there were gamblers everywhere who had come looking for some action. The unanimous vote gives the Bumb family, the site's owner, the right to develop up to 2,450 residential units and as much as 3.4 million square feet of office space there. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. 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. In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. Before the end of the month, the Flea Market laid off Jeff's daughters Anne and Rebecca. But he didn't cash out. "He took care of it." It's like we had no life except for the family." "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." The Flea Market, touted as the nation's largest, made the Bumbs rich, grossing nearly $12 million in 1996. The card club has done more than bring unwanted public scrutiny to this insular group. By Will Harper He also runs day-to-day operations at the family-owned Flea Market. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" He was also the kind of guy, police records reveal, who told his mother about the incidents "because he felt guilty." EVERY DAY THE CLUB stayed closed, the Bumbs lost more money. The ensuing delay forced Jeff Bumb to lay off 600 workers he had hired. Or at least he thought he didn't. In 1970, Patrick teamed up with several musicians from around San Jose who had a band . And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. "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. 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. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. 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. Christopher Gardner Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. 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. During his long tenure at the Flea Market, Venzon apparently developed a close relationship with George Bumb Sr. At the time, San Jose, like cities throughout the state, was strapped for cash, looking at an $11 million budget shortfall. Eight months later, the frame of the weapon was found in a Salinas pond near Venzon's home with the barrel and slide missing. As we do our drive-by on a Tuesday midmorning, there are more than 100 cars in the parking lot. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. There were flowers everywhere. 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. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. Owner: bumb brian f & theresa m (trustees) Sale Price: $4,226,500 +Edit Past Address 15180 Joanne Ave, SAN JOSE, CA 95127-1232 View Address Year Built: 1955 Bedrooms: 5 Baths: 2.00 Garage Size: 2 Property Lot Size: 8778 SF Building Area: 1679 Owner: bumb brian f (trustee) Owner 2: BUMB THERESA M (TRUSTEE) +Edit Current Address 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. 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. 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. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. And for nearly a month, they did. And for nearly a month, they did. 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. Christopher Gardner 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. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. On Nov. 8, 1995, attorney Albin Danell, Elizabeth's brother-in-law, contacted the police, apparently after consulting with Elizabeth. Preventive Medicine: George Bumb Jr. is a co-owner of Bay 101, where a snakebite kit is kept on-hand as a family joke. 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. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. 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." "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. In fact, Tim and George had to agree not to collaborate with other Bumbs on any new business venture. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. "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." And then, just when it seemed as though family relations couldn't get any worse, they did. 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. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. "They didn't teach anything about this. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. So Jeff, Brian and the remaining non-family partners backed out of Bay 101, handing everything over to Tim and George Jr. They recorded the conversation. The couple even had a purchase contract for a $850,000 house on Golf Links Road. 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. But his dream, which now seemed so close to being a reality, was about to become a nightmare. 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. At the time, San Jose, like cities throughout the state, was strapped for cash, looking at an $11 million budget shortfall. he asked. "I'm a big boy." 2. George Bumb Sr., an avid card player, held a regular weekly family poker game at his home. It pitted Bumb against Bumb. "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. George Bumb Jr., the quiet one with a flair for things mechanical, was already at the controls of Air One Helicopter. 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. "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. 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. I'm on the hook for $15 million. They recorded the conversation. 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. And then there's the stuff that never made it into headlines, like the alleged murder-for-hire plot out at the Flea Market. 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. And it was very explicit in there that no Bumbs could have anything to do with the club. Along the way, Jeff raised the ante, hiring Frank Ubhaus, a lawyer who represented Garden City card club, Bay 101's crosstown rival. 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. "I don't need their help," he barked at Werner. Other allegations were more dubious: Investigators chased after a tip that the Bumbs were skimming cash from the Flea Market parking lot, an accusation that was never proven. When Jeff and Brian were denied licenses for Bay 101, Tim (above) and brother George Jr. jumped in. Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. 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. And Brian, the handsome and gregarious youngest brother, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the Flea Market. 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. ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. 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. "They didn't teach anything about this. 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. "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" "And I told you that I loved you and you are like a father to me. He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. 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. 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. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. "What am I going to say to the vice president?" "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. attorney Frank Ubhaus asked the Bumb patriarch. "Hell, no," George Bumb replied. Well, guess what? It wasn't the money, either. It did the unthinkable: Matthew is the kind of guy a relative described to police as "polite," the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. "They didn't teach anything about this. VENZON WAS well known to the Bumbs. 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. A Bumb & Associates subsidiary acquired the 17-acre property at 1740 North First St. for "north of $20 million," said Brian Bumb, whose family owns Bay 101 and the San Jose Flea Market.. And for nearly a month, they did. "He took care of it." 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. 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. "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." "Jeff is a wheeler and dealer," explained his Uncle John, the Flea Market's executive vice president and owner of the Skeeball Arcade. According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. "I'm a big boy." "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." Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. Whenever trouble arose at the Flea Market with city code or building inspectors, the Bumbs sent Jeff to settle things. 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. Most of George Bumb Sr.'s five dozen grandchildren have grown up in the 95127 ZIP code and have attended the family-run K-12 Catholic school, St. Thomas More, located on Flea Market grounds since 1978. Snow White or Cinderella? 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. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." Christopher Gardner You know the school we went to?" AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. He also disputes that such a letter was even necessary for Jeff to get licensed. It's very tightknit," says Bryant, adding that the senior Bumb doesn't give interviews--ever. Matthew Bumb's attorney argued that the relationship was consensual. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. The district attorney's office says that Bumb attorney Ron Werner turned the letter over to authorities immediately after it came in the mail. They recorded the conversation. 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. "My wife broke the code," he says, "and I supported her." Jeff's daughter interrupted Matthew and said, "And I didn't know better. 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 as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. Well, George, whether you want to believe it or not I do love you and you are like a father to me." AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. 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." 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. I'm on the hook for $15 million. Werner said no. 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. The teenagers had been drinking booze earlier in the night. "They didn't teach anything about this. EIGHT MONTHS AFTER its approval by the City Council, the peach-colored Bay 101 held its "grand opening." ALL TOGETHER, the intrafamily litigation has spanned nearly three years. "It made you tough, made you get a thick skin." Jeff entertained offers to buy the club, the highest bid, he recalls, coming in at $40 million. George Bumb Sr., an avid card player, held a regular weekly family poker game at his home. AN ATTORNEY involved likened the whole contentious affair to a divorce. And that ain't happening because I can't afford it." But Jeff says the loan dispute screwed up their moving plans. 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. Almost four months later, on July 21, 1998, George Bumb Sr. appeared in the downtown offices of Berliner Cohen to have his deposition taken. In a fit, he took the paper he was writing on, crumpled it up and threw it out the office door. But he didn't cash out. But there was no gambling done that night. 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. "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." 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. Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. Jeff signed a deal with his brothers that prohibited him from owning Bay 101 stock until he got all the necessary licenses. According to Jeff, there was tremendous pressure from his father and others in the family to keep the incest a secret. 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. Jeff didn't mind, though. 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. Well, guess what? You know the school we went to?" Ultimately, the charges against the older Bumb were reduced to a misdemeanor. Tim and George Jr. would appeal and reapply, the hope being that the club would open as soon as possible. Werner said no. Christopher Gardner "Could he [Jeff] do any other work on his own behalf?" Now that their gaming license had been denied, a decision needed to be made--quickly. He also pulled off an armed robbery of the Aloha Roller Palace. 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. 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. The state, still busy conducting background checks, still hadn't approved the Bumbs and their partners' gaming licenses. 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. "I'm a big boy." He followed that with suits alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination and misrepresentation. 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 he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. "The thing they probably value most is their privacy," Bryant explains. "The thing they probably value most is their privacy," Bryant explains. 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 he [Jeff] wants me to violate the condition which says in it that I sign away my rights and they close us down. Initially, police filed felony charges against Matthew Bumb for having oral sex with a minor and penetrating her with his fingers. Meanwhile, Jeff and his lawyers spent 15 months trying get his father to appear at a deposition. A nurse was present to monitor his condition. And as with any divorce, embarrassing private details about the family and its businesses made their way into the public record. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. [1] One wag refers to them as "the Beverly Hillbillies of San Jose." The ensuing delay forced Jeff Bumb to lay off 600 workers he had hired.
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