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Lobbyist To Discuss Mogul's Gangland-Style Murder

Jack Abramoff To Talk About Gus Boulis' Death With Detectives

POSTED: Tuesday, August 16, 2005
UPDATED: 6:02 pm EDT August 16, 2005

A Washington lobbyist who is facing fraud charges says he is willing to discuss the gangland-style murder of SunCruz mogul Gus Boulis with investigators.

Gus Boulis
Business mogul Gus Boulis was gunned down in his car in February 2001.
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Adam Kidan are charged with conspiracy and wire fraud in a six-count federal grand jury indictment in the September 2000 purchase of Sun-Cruz Casinos from Boulis.

Kidan pleaded not guilty last week.

The Death Of Gus Boulis

A few months following the $147.5 million sale of SunCruz, Boulis was shot to death. Boulis, 51, was the founder of Miami Subs and the SunCruz line of casino boats. Police say that Boulis was driving his BMW near the 2000 block of Miami Road when a vehicle cut him off. Seconds later, a Ford Mustang pulled up next to Boulis’ car, and one of two men inside fired several shots into Boulis’ car before both cars sped away, according to investigators.

Boulis’ car rolled a few hundred feet before crashing into a tree in front of a Miami Subs restaurant. Emergency workers tried to resuscitate Boulis at the scene. He was pronounced dead after being rushed to Broward General Medical Center.

Investigators immediately described Boulis' death as a "planned hit."

The killing followed weeks of acrimony stemming from the sale, including a physical altercation between Kidan and Boulis.

The Abramoff Angle

Abramoff's lawyer says his client was expected to meet with Fort Lauderdale homicide detectives shortly after the slaying of Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis. That interview never happened. Now detectives are expressing new interest in talking with Abramoff.

The federal indictment deals only with the sale and not Boulis' murder.

Abramoff's lawyer said his client is willing to cooperate with investigators.

In Washington, Abramoff is under investigation by a federal grand jury and by the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee for deals in which he and an associate received at least $66 million from six Indian tribes to lobby for their casinos and other interests. The tribes question whether the charges were excessive.

On Aug. 29, Abramoff will travel from Maryland to Miami to enter his plea.

Congressional Democrats have raised questions about Abramoff's ties to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The congressman has asked the House Ethics Committee to review allegations that Abramoff or his clients paid some of DeLay's overseas travel expenses. DeLay has denied knowing that the expenses were paid by Abramoff, whom he once described as "one of my closest and dearest friends."

Abramoff and Kidan are both free on bond.

Moon Over Miami Connection?

Local 10's sources say if Abramoff is now hoping for some kind of deal on the federal charges in return for information on the murder, he may be too late.

Fort Lauderdale homicide detectives have slowly built a case that focuses on a series of SunCruz checks totaling more than $100,000 that were paid to a Miami Beach company called Moon Over Miami

Tony Ferarri, the man behind Moon Over Miami, is described by some as a mob wannabe, according to Local 10's Rad Berky.

Kidan said the money was to pay Ferarri for security work, according to Berky. Ferarri has consistently refused to talk to detectives.

Local 10 learned that Ferarri's associate, James Fiorillo, also drove a black Mustang at the time of the murder -- a Mustang that police say has not been seen since. The Mustang matched the description of a car that Boulis' killer was riding in.

Last week, Kidan's attorney would not say if his client would talk to detectives. He said Kidan has already talked to investigators in the past.

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