The Gold Club
Former strip club in Atlanta, Georgia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gold Club was a strip club in Buckhead, a district of Atlanta, Georgia,[1] that operated from 1987[2] until 2001, the same year the owner pleaded guilty to racketeering charges.
Operations
The Gold Club was one of the most prominent strip clubs in Atlanta.[1] It was located on Lindbergh Road.[3]
Owner Steve Kaplan[1] was the subject of a 14 week trial in 2001[4] after prosecutors alleged that the club was used for prostitution, money laundering, bribery and credit card fraud.[1] Kaplan was also accused of having links to the Gambino crime family.[5]
The club was managed by Thomas "Ziggy" Sicignano, who acted as a witness for the prosecution.[1] Steven Sadow represented Kaplan during the case, which was brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.[4] As part of a plea deal during the trial,[6] Kaplan confessed to racketeering.[7] Judge Willis Hunt sentenced Kaplan to sixteen months in prison.[8] Details of the plea deal included agreeing to close the club, 400 hours of community service, and a $5 million fine.[8]
The club was the subject of the 2001 Court TV program Sex, Sports & the Mob: Atlanta's Gold Club, written and directed by Steven Dupler.[9] After the club's 2001 closure,[7] Atlanta City Council agreed to attempt to purchase the location,[3] although it was next used as a church before opening as The Gold Room nightclub in 2009.[7]