former SD mayor

[jstoesz]

Didn’t someone turn up a home foreclosure on a former SD mayor?

Was it o’connor?

she really is a pretty good gambler if her losses are only 1.3%, granted that was on a billion. I wish all politicians were that bad(good) at throwing away money.

[UCGal]

http://piggington.com/interesting_short_sales_in_del_mar

Yep… It’s an interesting story to follow.
I’m cooking up a batch of popcorn to watch it unfold.

[njtosd]

Re: her being a good gambler – depends on what she was playing. For blackjack the house is reported to have only a 0.6% advantage (if you play correctly).

[SD Realtor]

The only problem is that the entire table needs to play correctly. You also need a good 3rd baseman.

[earlyretirement]

Yep. Interesting. We’ve mentioned her on a few different threads now. I’ve read a ton of posts from various publications and I think it’s safe to say the vast majority of people (based on comments on the comments section) don’t feel sorry for her.

And I think most people would clearly say that the “brain tumor made me do it” excuse no one is buying. She is still an intelligent woman that managed to hide her addiction from the general public for many years. Lots of degenerate gamblers that have that addiction manage to do the same thing with help from “enablers”.

Lots of excuses from the death of her husband and death of friends, to her dad being a bookie, to her brain tumor. She is a smart woman. She should own up to it, admit her horrible gambling addiction and try to pick up the pieces of her life and move on.

One thing I think needs to be said is shame on her family and friends that knew about her addiction. I mean she sounds very close to her twin sister (who was also a trustee in the charitable foundation which she ROBBED of $2+ million bucks). So many people seemed to enable her and help her hide this hideous addiction. No way she spent that much time in the casinos and they didn’t know about this problem.

Besides her twin sister, there was another trustee in that charitable foundation. That trustee also dropped the ball and had to have known she robbed millions out of it. If not, then why? They were totally asleep at the wheel and I hope they aren’t a trustee in any other foundations.

It seems like lots of people are trying to justify why she did it. No one can justify what she did. You take some random person that robs $2 million and they would be in jail for a long time. But she will never see a day in jail for robbing $2 million from people that so desperately needed it.

And to people that try to make excuses for her. The only thing I’d say is I doubt you would be making excuses if she robbed $2 million from YOU or your family or if your kid depended on some life saving surgery that the foundation could have funded.

Shame on her. Shame on her enablers. I mean come on! I took the IRS to be the ones that unraveled this addiction and theft!

[jstoesz]

I rarely appreciate commentators on news articles. Actually, I never do. But this one at the top was actually cogent and is quoted in full below.

“Some questions left unanswered in that story:
– She had a “nine-year gambling spree” that started after the death of her hubby in 1994. So, that lasted until 2003! Why did the case go to court only now, in 2012?
– She sold a hotel for 7 millions in 2009. Why hasn’t she repaid the money to the charity?
– Since her gambling spree only lasted from 1994 to 2003, why should her brain surgery in 2011 be related to that at all?
– She left the charity broke. Why didn’t anybody notice this at once, and it had to be the IRS to uncover her gambling addiction?

Only some of a lot of questions that the story leaves unanswered. All in all, yet another example of nowaday’s “journalism” that focusses on stenographing soundbites without much concern about the coherence of the report. Some actual thinking and investigating would be highly appreciated.”

[earlyretirement]

[quote=jstoesz]I rarely appreciate commentators on news articles. Actually, I never do. But this one at the top was actually cogent and is quoted in full below.

“Some questions left unanswered in that story:
– She had a “nine-year gambling spree” that started after the death of her hubby in 1994. So, that lasted until 2003! Why did the case go to court only now, in 2012?
– She sold a hotel for 7 millions in 2009. Why hasn’t she repaid the money to the charity?
– Since her gambling spree only lasted from 1994 to 2003, why should her brain surgery in 2011 be related to that at all?
– She left the charity broke. Why didn’t anybody notice this at once, and it had to be the IRS to uncover her gambling addiction?

Only some of a lot of questions that the story leaves unanswered. All in all, yet another example of nowaday’s “journalism” that focusses on stenographing soundbites without much concern about the coherence of the report. Some actual thinking and investigating would be highly appreciated.”[/quote]

My guess is no one knows the true story except for her and maybe her lawyers. But maybe she even withheld things to them.

In this kind of situation, typically a gambler will always try to downplay how much they lost. Gamblers like to talk about how much they made and the hands they won but never the hands they lost. So my guess is this $2 million from the Foundation could be the tip of the iceberg.

Also, I would take a grain of salt with anything you hear/read with how long the addiction went on. It probably was even longer than what the stories are saying. And her lawyer’s estimate of her past net worth is probably understated as well. IMHO.

As far as the hotel she sold for $7.5 million. They never got that amount. “Mayor Mo” and her twin sister didn’t go through a traditional sale. You can read the details below:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/mar/23/citylights1-oconnor-sisters-german-bank-heritage/

[no_such_reality]

[quote=SD Realtor]The only problem is that the entire table needs to play correctly. You also need a good 3rd baseman.[/quote]

Everybody else can be an idiot. Only the tailgunner matters. The lay of the cards at that point makes the decision.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=earlyretirement][quote=jstoesz]I rarely appreciate commentators on news articles. Actually, I never do. But this one at the top was actually cogent and is quoted in full below.

“Some questions left unanswered in that story:
– She had a “nine-year gambling spree” that started after the death of her hubby in 1994. So, that lasted until 2003! Why did the case go to court only now, in 2012?
– She sold a hotel for 7 millions in 2009. Why hasn’t she repaid the money to the charity?
– Since her gambling spree only lasted from 1994 to 2003, why should her brain surgery in 2011 be related to that at all?
– She left the charity broke. Why didn’t anybody notice this at once, and it had to be the IRS to uncover her gambling addiction?

Only some of a lot of questions that the story leaves unanswered. All in all, yet another example of nowaday’s “journalism” that focusses on stenographing soundbites without much concern about the coherence of the report. Some actual thinking and investigating would be highly appreciated.”[/quote]

My guess is no one knows the true story except for her and maybe her lawyers. But maybe she even withheld things to them.

In this kind of situation, typically a gambler will always try to downplay how much they lost. Gamblers like to talk about how much they made and the hands they won but never the hands they lost. So my guess is this $2 million from the Foundation could be the tip of the iceberg.

Also, I would take a grain of salt with anything you hear/read with how long the addiction went on. It probably was even longer than what the stories are saying. And her lawyer’s estimate of her past net worth is probably understated as well. IMHO.

As far as the hotel she sold for $7.5 million. They never got that amount. “Mayor Mo” and her twin sister didn’t go through a traditional sale. You can read the details below:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/mar/23/citylights1-oconnor-sisters-german-bank-heritage/
[/quote]

ER, there is no one more qualified to untangle this mess and get justice for the O’Connors than bulldog Mike Aguirre. This lawsuit, now going in its third year, will be settled or adjudicated.

That 37 AC parcel situated atop a very rugged and beautiful coastal cliff is worth MUCH MORE than $2M, even WITHOUT improvements. Believe me when I tell you that there is no other place like it in the world! The charity set up by Peterson will be paid back … eventually.

I agree with just a couple of things here.

a) that Mayor Mo’s family and friends were likely “enablers” or she hid her “addiction” extremely well; and

b) that (as I had stated before) I don’t believe an “addicted” gambler should be given credit for chips in ANY casino in which said gambler is well-known to them, whether US-based or situated on tribal lands. It may be “legal” but it is wrong and should be made “illegal.”

Bartenders and cocktail wait staff can be held liable for accidents if they serve visible drunks.

The author and moderator of your Reader article is Don Bauder, who was a well-known RE reporter for the SD Union (now U/T) for decades. He’s been around the block and his comments make a lot of sense.

Stay tuned. The “fat lady” has not yet sung on the Mendocino County case. Bulldog Aguirre will see that she not only gets her chance to sing, she will get to dance and perform several encores.

[jstoesz]

[quote=no_such_reality][quote=SD Realtor]The only problem is that the entire table needs to play correctly. You also need a good 3rd baseman.[/quote]

Everybody else can be an idiot. Only the tailgunner matters. The lay of the cards at that point makes the decision.[/quote]

I have no idea what you all are talking about…baseball and airplanes?

Lets just say, the elation of winning is less fun than the terror of losing, so gambling isn’t much fun for me.

[SK in CV]

I have to agree with you BG. Aguirre is both passionate and brilliant in his work. And Bauder does his homework. A real journalist.

[earlyretirement]

BG, yes it sounds like Aguirre has a good track record and hopefully she will be able to recover these millions and pay back the money that she blatantly stole. She is fortunate she will not have to go to jail.

If she does win back these millions, hopefully she doesn’t blow it on more casinos. Because the temptation will be there for her. Hopefully she learns her lesson.

As far as the “addict” and the casinos not being able to allow them in. Well, it would be impossible for the casinos to police this. No way it could happen because imagine…. degenerate gamblers like O’Connor were good enough liars to fool friends and associates.

I’m sure they knew she was addicted but you have to keep in mind she could have lied and told them she had millions more. As well, it sounds like she had many up years as well. One report said she won as much as $200 million one year. (I’m not sure I buy that amount….) but I’m sure she had up years when she took/won money from casinos as well.

Yes, the casinos need to do more but I wouldn’t count on seeing that anytime in our lifetime. It’s like an alcoholic that is addicted and steps into a bar to have “just one drink”.

Hopefully we see her just come out and blame no one but herself and offer no more excuses. Just step up to the plate with no more excuses and pay it back and get help for her serious addiction.

Also, she should probably write a book. It sounds fascinating her story so maybe a book should be in the works which can also help with restitution. Heck, I’d buy a copy of it if it was a good read and she pledged the proceeds to the charity she robbed. And it would also be a good PR move for her.

PS – BG, I really must get up to that area. From what you described, it sounds amazing!

[bearishgurl]

ER, Mayor Mo’s story could be a compelling book or made-for-TV movie due to she and her family having very “humble” roots. Even her fmr Chief of Staff and other longtime professional colleagues are having a very hard time believing what they are reading about her today!

Perhaps she could find an interested collaborator/ghost writer to work with her after all this is over, assuming she is still alive and coherent enough to tell her story.

[earlyretirement]

[quote=bearishgurl]ER, Mayor Mo’s story could be a compelling book or made-for-TV movie due to she and her family having very “humble” roots. Even her fmr Chief of Staff and other longtime professional colleagues are having a very hard time believing what they are reading about her today!

Perhaps she could find an interested collaborator/ghost writer to work with her after all this is over, assuming she is still alive and coherent enough to tell her story.[/quote]

Yep. If she “plays her cards right” (no pun intended.. LOL) she should be able to score millions on both a book and also TV/movie deal. You couldn’t make up some of this stuff!

And I think it would be fascinating to hear some of the back stories of all of this, how much she started with, how much she lost/won at any given time. As well as hiding it for so long from so many people.

She should start on it now. Just donate a large portion of it to that charity she ripped off and I think ultimately she could come out really well and looking well. Plus she could possibly help other gambling addicts.

[Author]

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