Karen Bune
Victimology Contributor
Officer.com
... Strip Club Owner - of his money.
Whether it’s the people or the events surrounding the plethora of sexual-oriented businesses around the country, there rarely tends to be a dull moment. Where strip clubs prevail, business is never lacking. The owners of these clubs have financially impressive earnings gained off the seductive performances of their female stripper employees who satisfy the fantasies of their customers hungry for varied forms of titillation and sexually oriented thrills. The lure exists all the way from Tampa, Florida-- the “Lap Dancing Capitol of the East Eastâ€-- where Joe Redner, owner of the famous Mons Venus reigns supreme, to Anthony “Cousin Vinny†Agnello, who is king of his domain at the World Famous Cousin Vinny’s Gorgeous Strippers in Tarrytown, New York.
Though some strip clubs can be known to attract an element of crime, whether its drugs, prostitution, or some other illicit behavior, most club owners will attempt to keep their noses clean and not draw law enforcement attention to themselves or their establishments. To the contrary, however, is Cousin Vinny-known as “King of Bling.†This so-called “King†has becoming well known in the law enforcement arena, and he is not being crowned with good luck or good judgment. His previous arrest for promoting prostitution through his explicitly nude and exotic club forum and his method of daring business outreach did not hold him in good stead.
Then, in 2001, his business played a pivotal role in providing strippers for a teenage football team celebration party. Robert and Rochelle Wien hosted the party and engaged Cousin Vinny’s business to provide the strippers at the rate of $325.00 an hour. Not only did Cousin Vinny give it the go-ahead, he had strippers there who were having whip cream licked off their bodies by teens as young as 15-years-old and who were utilizing certain devices to simulate sex acts.
The parents who were charged in the incident pled guilty to endangering the welfare of children and were sentenced to probation for one year and 100 hours of community service. The incident did nothing to endear Cousin Vinny to Officer Friendly nor did it give him any brownie points in the public relations arena or the community.
Now, to make matters worse, Cousin Vinny has become a victim of crime. While he was recently escorting his strippers to a bachelor party, he was shot twice—once in the thigh-- during an attempted robbery. Two men tried to steal $100,000.00 of the jewelry that adorned his body. “It was a terrible experience. Man, I’ve never seen nothing like it,†said Cousin Vinny of the incident.
Though Cousin Vinny may be experiencing some physical and emotional trauma a result of the crime, it should make him realize that despite his entrepreneurial harem of strippers, his glimmering gold jewelry, and his zest for living life on the edge that, unlike Las Vegas, what happens in New York does not stay in New York.
