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More testimony on tap Monday from former strip club manager

Sicignano's testimony was the first linking pro athletes to allegations that Gold Club owners provided sexual favors  


ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- When former strip club manager Thomas "Ziggy" Sicignano returns to the stand Monday, he's expected to testify about alleged sexual activity between professional athletes, celebrities and strippers at the upscale Gold Club, sources said.

In testimony Friday, Sicignano said the sexual encounters were paid for by Gold Club owner Steve Kaplan. Sicignano is expected to say Monday that he only arranged some of the activities at the direction of Kaplan.

In a sweeping federal racketeering case, Kaplan is charged with facilitating prostitution, money laundering, extortion, bribing Atlanta police officers, loan sharking and skimming profits to pay protection money to the Gambino organized-crime family.

Kaplan denies all charges and says it was Sicignano's idea to raise the club's profile by luring superstar athletes and providing strippers to have sex with the stars.

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Six other associates have also been charged in connection with the case, but have also pleaded not guilty. All are defended by lawyers paid for by Kaplan.

CNN has learned that prosecutors will introduce club manager reports to buttress their claims that drugs and sex were part of the Gold Club's operation. Sources said that Sicignano will describe a 1997 limousine ride from Atlanta to Charleston, South Carolina, that carried six strippers who were going to have sex with some members of the New York Knicks basketball team, who were in the city for training camp practices.

At the time of the limo ride, Kaplan, according to sources close to the case, was trying to fly in from New York, but was grounded by the weather. Still, Sicignano is expected to say that Kaplan organized the alleged incidents by phone from the airport.

Prosecutors consider Sicignano one of their star witnesses, along with Jeff Johnson, another former club manager to be called later. Both have pleaded guilty to lesser charges and are cooperating with prosecutors.

Sources said that Kaplan's defense team will counter Sicignano's testimony with questions about his character during cross-examination later in the week.


Greta@LAW






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