Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis

Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis (1949 - February 6, 2001) was a land-developer, casino operator, and restaurant owner of Greek descent, who was murdered in 2001. The murder has been alleged to be in connection with the sale of his company, SunCruz Casinos.

Early career

Boulis was born in a fishing village of Kavala in Greek Macedonia. He stayed in school only until the sixth grade and then trained as a mechanic.Florida Trend [http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-3099949_ITM Murder on Miami Road] Retrieved on June 18, 2007] He joined the merchant marine in 1968, but jumped ship in Halifax, Canada before moving off to Toronto.Weekly Standard [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/376cyikk.asp?pg=2 Abramoff: Money, Mobsters, Murder] retrieved on June 6, 2007] Boulis started off as a fisherman before taking a job as a dishwasher at a Mr. Submarine sandwich chain. The original owners of Mr. Submarine, now known as Mr. Sub, were Jack Levinson and Earl Linzon. It was Gus Boulis who showed Levinson and Linzon how to franchise. He soon was offered control of one of the stores, and shares in the corporation.Sun Sentinel Miami Herald [http://www.durabond.ca/gdouridas/boulis.html Gus (Kostas) Boulis] Retrieved May 12, 2007] Sun Sentinel.com [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-927boulistimeline.box,0,5395173.story A timeline in the life and murder of Gus Boulis] Retrieved on June 28, 2007] In his five years with the company Boulis developed the a chain of over 200 stores. The sale of the Boulis's shares in the company in the mid 1970s made Boulis a multimillionaire, and he was 25 years old.

In 1979, Boulis moved to Florida with the intent to retire, however he soon began building the popular Miami Subs GrillWashington Post [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/30/AR2005043001147.html Untangling a Lobbyist's Stake in a Casino Fleet] Retrieved on June 28, 2007] . He continued his success in food business, expanding the Miami Subs chain throughout Florida and beyond.

unCruz Casinos

Boulis started the SunCruz Casinos boat company in 1994 in Key Largo. It was a cruise line with "cruises to nowhere" as the passengers would gamble on the voyage as the ships would travel out onto international water, where Florida gambling laws were not applicable.Weekly Standard [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/376cyikk.asp?pg=2 Abramoff: Money, Mobsters, Murder] retrieved on June 6, 2007] Boulis' largest & most profitable gambling boat was docked on the Intercoastal Waterway in Hollywood, Florida where he had the support of mayor Mara Giulianti. However, Hollywood community beach activists, led by City Commissioner John F. Coleman, strongly opposed the gambling boat operation. Giulianti lobbied to have Boulis finance & build the "Diamond on the Beach" beach hotel, a deal that ultimately fell through. His business drew opposition from other Florida government officials regarding questions on when Boulis attained his American citizenship. The government alleged he purchased some of his SunCruz gambling boats before he became a U.S. citizen. In February of 2000, Boulis settled with Federal authorities by agreeing to sell his interest in the SunCruz business within three years and pay a $500,000 fine.Sun Sentinel Miami Herald [http://www.durabond.ca/gdouridas/boulis.html Gus (Kostas) Boulis] Retrieved May 12, 2007]

In September 2000, Boulis sold SunCruz to Jack Abramoff and Adam Kidan for $147.5 million. In the deal Boulis kept a silent 10 percent interest, accepting a $20 million promissory note in lieu of the $23 million cash down payment. This transaction later went on to be the focus of a grand jury inquiry.Sun Sentinel.com [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-927boulistimeline.box,0,5395173.story A timeline in the life and murder of Gus Boulis] Retrieved on June 28, 2007] Bloomberg [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=ayEAtIEBHqmU&refer=us Abramoff Indictment May Echo in Other Cases] Retrieved on June 28, 2007] Boulis' relationship with Abramoff and Kidan began to go down hill after the deal. Boulis alleged that Kidan falsified the wire transfer. In December 2000, continued tension between Boulis and Kidan led to a fistfight between the two.

Two months later, on February 6, 2001, Boulis was found shot to death in his car on a Fort Lauderdale street. Anthony Moscatiello and James Fiorillo, both Florida residents, were arrested in late September 2005 in connection with the murder. Anthony Ferrari, who resided in New York, was also detained in connection with the killing.Washington Post [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700980.html 3 Charged in Killing Of Fla. Businessman] Retrieved on June 28, 2007]

On August 11, 2005, Abramoff and Kidan were indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on fraud charges relating to the disputed $23 million bank transfer used as down payment for the purchase of SunCruz Casinos. Kidan pled guilty on December 15, 2005MSNBC [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10484892/ Ex-Abramoff associate pleads guilty to fraud] Retrieved on June 28, 2007] , Abramoff pled guilty on January 3, 2006.Bloomberg [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aDq6Gy_i0shA&refer=top_world_news Abramoff Pleads Guilty, Will Help in Corruption Probe] Retrieved on January 3, 2006]

:"(See also Abramoff-Reed Indian Gambling Scandal.)"

Murder and subsequent investigation

Three men have been charged with the 2001 murder of Boulis:
*Anthony "Little Tony" Ferrari was arrested at his North Miami Beach home on September 25, 2005.
*James "Pudgy" Fiorillo, was arrested on September 26, 2005 in Palm Coast.
*Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello was arrested at his Howard Beach home in New York on September 25, 2005.

Moscatiello and Ferrari have been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder. Fiorillo has been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

It is alleged that Kidan had hired Anthony Moscatiello as a business advisor (despite a previous indictment as former bookkeeper for the Gambino crime family), paying him $145,000 through SunCruz for services that were allegedly never rendered. Ferrari also received $95,000 from SunCruz as payment for security services, in addition to further sums in casino chips.

In May 2006, Adam Kidan told authorities that Moscatiello and Ferrari confided in him that another Gotti associate, John Gurino, killed Boulis. Gurino himself was killed in October 2003. At the time, Gurino was not a part of the Boulis investigation. [cite news
url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-ckidan09jun09,0,338370.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
title=Businessman Kidan claims killer of SunCruz Casino founder is dead
publisher=South Florida Sun-Sentinel
date=June 9, 2006]

References

External links

* [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-927boulismurder,0,6594337.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines Sun-Sentinel News]
* [http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/12795614.htm Brandenton.com]
* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051010/BOULIS10/TPNational/TopStories The Globe and Mail online article]
* [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/376cyikk.asp Weekly Standard Article]
* [http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/010774.asp Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello article]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/11/AR2005081101108.html?nav=hcmodule Washington Post article]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=TFPEDyGb51QC&pg=PA1&dq=gus+boulis&sig=Se0DrizgZVWj-UoGPM8zVB46huk#PPP1,M1 Hollywood Gambler:"The Gus Boulis Story" (novel)]