HOUSTON (CN) - A former New Jersey mob boss who came to Houston in the Federal Witness Protection Program - and who allegedly was an inspiration for the fictional Tony Soprano - defaulted on payments on a $1.3 million promissory note issued to buy out a partner's share in a strip club, the partner claims.
Lisa Hansegard sued James Cabella, his wife Debra Cabella and son James Jr., and Hereweareagain Inc., in Harris County Court.
Hansegard says she had no idea that James Cabella, owner of the strip club across the street from a strip club she acquired from the estate of her child's late father, was actually Vincent Palermo, a former acting boss of the New Jersey-based DeCavalcante crime family, when he approached her about becoming her business partner and taking over management of her club in 2006.
Hansegard's club was called Baby Dolls. Cabella/Palermo's was called The Penthouse Club, according to the complaint.
Hansegard says she bought Baby Dolls from the estate of her child's father, the late Anargyros Mylonas, and his brother, in 2006. Hansegard says she was pregnant with Anargyros Mylonas' child when he died in July 2005.
"Hansegard reached an agreement with Tag Entertainment Inc. to manage Baby Dolls provided that they acquired the business from the estate," the complaint states.
Cabella, who ran The Penthouse Club across the street from Baby Dolls, approached her about his taking over management of Baby Dolls, and persuaded her to drop her deal with Tag and join him, Hansegard says.
The Penthouse Club was a dba for Hereweareagain, a Texas corporation owned by Cabella's wife, Debra, Hansegard says.
Hansegard says at the direction of James Cabella, she formed 6430 Westheimer Inc. with Debra Cabella; each woman received 1,000 shares in the company.
Westheimer is a major thoroughfare in Houston.
Hansegard says 6430 Westheimer Inc. then signed a management agreement with James Cabella.
"Hansegard funded the acquisition of Baby Dolls for $835,000 in a sale approved by the Probate Court" on Dec. 29, 2006, according to the complaint.
"Through mid-2007, the parties had an increasingly contentious relationship. Hansegard was denied access to the business and its records and did not receive any funds from the business. James Cabella approached Hansegard about buying her interests in 6340 Westheimer. They reached an agreement in June 2007 for Hansegard to sell her interests to Debra Cabella. Debra Cabella signed a promissory note agreeing to pay Lisa Hansegard $1,300,000 in weekly payments of $2,500," according to the complaint, which cites exhibits 4 and 5, the Bill of Sale and Promissory Note.
Debra Cabella made two payments on the note, Hansegard says, citing another exhibit.
"During the negotiation process for the sale, Hansegard learned that James Cabella's former name was Vincent Palermo and that he was a former member of the DeCavalcante organized crime family in New Jersey," the complaint states. "James Cabella had moved to Houston under the Federal Witness Protection Program. He did not tell Hansegard that he was putting the business in Debra Cabella's name because of his background and that Debra Cabella would have no role in the business. She also learned during the process that James Cabella was misappropriating revenues and expenses for Baby Dolls to the benefit of The Penthouse Club. Hansegard would not have entered the business relationship had James Cabella disclosed his past or his intentions to benefit his family's other business."