In 1994, tried two of the men who extorted $1.45 million from the Mirage Hotel and Casino in 1993 by kidnapping the daughter of Mirage Resorts CEO Steve Wynn. A third defendant pled and cooperated with the Government. Cuddy was the ringleader and a failed Newport Beach, California, businessman; the accomplices he recruited were young gang members. This crime occurred in July, 1993, during the height of the 1992-1994 onslaught of Las Vegas casinos, banks, and jewelry stores by Los Angeles gang members.
The venerable Judge Lloyd D. George (for whom the Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas is named) recently stated that in all his years on the bench, the best witness he had ever observed was Steve Wynn, whose emotional testimony riveted all who were present in the courtroom. After an extremely high profile and contentious trial, the defendants were convicted of Conspiracy, Hobbs Act, Use of Firearms, and Money Laundering offenses, and received sentences of 19 and 24 years respectively.
See U.S v Sherwood, 982 (9th Cir. 1996), U.S. v. Cuddy, (147 F3d111 (9th Cir, 1998) (published opinions)
