Court papers allege Mustang Ranch payoffs to county officials

It alleges that former county Commissioner Shirley Colletti received $10,000 a month while she was on the commission and that $7,000 went to other county officials, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported on Thursday.

Other brothel money allegedly was used to provide housing for Conforte's girlfriends, to send meat to him in Brazil and to buy him a car.

Colletti's attorney, Scott Freeman, said he had not seen the document and could not comment.

The paper was filed as part of a plea bargain between government prosecutors and former Mustang bookkeeper Joanne Olcese growing out of a federal indictment returned in August.

The 33-count indictment charges A.G.E. Corp., which now owns the brothel; Eduardo Neves, an alleged owner; Olcese; Colleti, and Conforte with racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering, wire fraud and witness tampering.

The government contends that over several years, more than $4 million was illegally sent to Conforte or his associates.

Colletti is scheduled to go on trial in April.

archive