As the housing market exploded in Nevada in 2004, Thomas Seeno, of Alamo, bought half interest in Wingfield Nevada Group, a conglomeration of business enterprises developed by Whittemore valued then at more than $500 million, according to the suit. "Where you have water in the desert, you have life," he said. Thomas Seeno asked Whittemore whether his brother, Albert Seeno Jr., a Clayton resident, could buy an interest, the suit alleges, saying Albert Jr. would bring tremendous resources to the deal. We did the opposite of everybody else.". Miller created a shell company to funnel funds held in trust from law firms representing the Albert Seeno Construction Company into his own personal accounts, using phony invoices to request that . In its early stages, the project has drawn strong opposition from neighbors, who have accused Seeno of destroying an owl habitat. The various branches of the Seeno family have ongoing construction projects throughout Brentwood, Oakley, Pittsburg and Antioch. Shahid devised and managed a scheme to give secret monetary incentives to unqualified homebuyers, allowing the sales of Seeno homes to continue to be sold during the financial crisis starting in 2007, according to the indictment unsealed Monday. But their building ethics were praised in 2001 when a Seeno construction crew unearthed ancient remains at a West Sacramento site. I dont find it particularly appropriate.. The allegations of physical violence are brand-new nonsense, Robison said. $57k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $57k. They know what they want, and theyre not shy about going after it.. The temporary parking of the taxable income allowed the Seenos and others to avoid paying taxes on it, instead paying a much-lower capital gains tax on the income at a later date, according to court documents. Thank you for Reading! In multiple lawsuits, Albert Seeno Jr., 78, accused his son of erratic behavior, improper spending and trying to shut his father and uncle out of their own companies. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Concord First Partners' Phil Tagami (middle), Louis Parsons (bottom) and Albert Seeno Jr. (top) with an aerial of the Concord Naval Weapons Station (Concord First Partners, Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA . The Seenos hold gaming licenses in six gambling establishments: Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Youre going down! The Seenos were not accused of wrongdoing in that case, he said. The son and grandson of East Bay housing empire patriarch Albert Seeno Sr. personally directed a mortgage fraud scheme uncovered by the FBI, and the illegal incentive programs were approved by a company attorney and outside counsel, according to a former executive and key government witness in the nearly concluded seven-year case. Whittemore said he also went to Reno police to report the threats he alleges in his lawsuit. The developments came to light in legal documents filed last week by Brad Mamer, the former CEO of Wingfield Nevada Group, who sued the Seenos and other top executives claiming they were involved in racketeering and had violated labor laws regarding his employment. "People came in in tears. Finally, Seeno agreed to sell to another developer. Seeno said he has complied and cooperated with all regulators and regulations. Puckett emailed back photos of a 3-year-old ram that would be ready in two years. Includes trails and parks on and around Mount Diablo and Los Vaqueros watershed. Thomas Seeno asked Whittemore whether his brother, Albert Seeno Jr., a Clayton resident, could buy an interest, the suit alleges, saying Albert Jr. would bring tremendous resources to the deal. Some letters referenced the recent revelation of an ongoing legal battle among the Seeno family, first made public in a column in the East Bay Times published Thursday. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. 2020. Seeno workers were credited for being respectful to the remains. Sophocles needs a seven!"). The last assessment recorded was taken in the year 2015 with a value of 7900000. It made me cry, said Stillwell. This latest lawsuit comes a week after the Seenos sued Whittemore in Las Vegas, claiming he embezzled and misappropriated tens of millions of dollars from their joint company to pay for a lavish lifestyle and curry favor in the Nevada political scene. But usually, Seeno triumphs. City officials in 1985 flipped higher than the 10-story tower when, after completion, they found that it jutted up 5 feet higher than the city had agreed upon -- which placed it in the flight path to Buchanan Field Airport. Whittemores attorney declined to comment because of the litigation. Without their lights on. In a stunning public airing of the internal fight for control of the businesses, Albert D. Seeno Jr., 78, has sued his son alleging that Seeno III, after his appointment in July 2020 as chief executive officer, improperly spent money and tried to shut out his father and uncle from their own companies. Can I still get Beyonc tickets? Num. Charles Rettig has spent the last five years representing a number of Seeno family members after they sued the federal government, hoping to recoup some of the more than $159 million in delinquent federal income taxes paid by the family, and it appears he was successful in two of the cases. "Seeno Homes: Building the American Dream since 1938" reads a stamp on a visitor badge at their Concord offices, where larger-than-life, black-and-white photographs of Seeno Homes founder Albert Seeno Sr. line the walls next to elaborate works of Oriental art and a glass case holding Gaetano's boat-building tools. The response was classic Seeno: A lawsuit charged that the citys construction permit didnt spell out a precise height. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Once you've been around for any length of time, you've had some sort of disagreement with them.". Albert Seeno Construction 10 reviews Unclaimed General Contractors, Real Estate Services Edit Add photo or video Write a review Add photo Save Location & Hours 1908 San Andres Dr Pittsburg, CA 94565 Get directions Edit business info Amenities and More Accepts Credit Cards Ask the Community Ask a question The political power broker and his wife are seeking $1.8 billion in damages, claiming the Seeno father and son were involved in racketeering, extortion, grand larceny, and threats. A two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of two books on San Francisco architecture, King joined The Chronicle in 1992 and covered City Hall before creating his current post. This case was filed in Contra Costa County Superior Courts, Wakefield Taylor Courthouse located in Contra Costa, California. "We are hands-on builders," said Seeno, 67, as he stood next to rolls of building plans and maps in an office that overlooks a mechanics shop, storage units and rows of heavy equipment used in their construction projects. Albert D. Seeno Construction. Albert Seeno Active Concord, CA President for Discovery Builders, Inc. (925)682-6419 Overview 188 Companies 30 Connections 8 Locations Contribute Follow Albert Seeno Overview Albert Seeno has been associated with 188 companies, according to public records. 2020. We hope that you enjoy our free content. Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code. Grantee Critics say Seeno Jr., the 58-year-old owner of the East Bays biggest home development company, controls a three-member majority on the Pittsburg City Council that pushes through his projects without regard to the environment or the needs of the community. The Seenos went to the gaming control board, FBI, Reno police and state bar association with allegations of embezzlement, Robison said. A former Seeno employee pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to paying bribes to a mortgage broker to help secure home loans for homebuyers, according to federal prosecutors. Seeno has even faced obstacles in the family fiefdom of Pittsburg, where the company has built thousands of homes. The Albert D Seeno Jr Family Foundation * 1 Principals See who the company's key decision makers are 1 Contacts Reach the right people with access to detailed contact information. threatened to kill me last June, even though I had relocated myself and my family to Southern California to escape the threats and intimidation by the Seenos that was already occurring as a result of my cooperation with the government, [Shahid] wrote the judge. 60% MARRIED 60% of these people are married, and 40% are single. About Jacqueline Seeno Homes. Albert D. Seeno, Iii Family Foundation it's now 5 years . Below are excerpts from the lawsuit brought against the Seenos. New Homes in Northern California & Nevada | Discovery Homes Go to main content Find Your Home Sign Up Now Discover More Got a question? Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Antioch. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Albert Seeno Jr., developer, Monday September 30,2002. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments. We want Reno to do well as a market. We have a wonderful term sheet here. Use the 'Report' link on They've been criticized for allegedly manipulating local politicians in their East Bay communities and have been named in numerous construction-defect lawsuits. Thank you for reading eight articles this month! Stillwell and Jones said they awoke at 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 31 to the noise of workers removing the boards, and watched two barn owls fly out of the windmill and take refuge in a nearby tree. We appreciate your support. Note regarding the Seenos and their development companies such as Discovery Builders: well remind you about a variety of the Seenos previous controversies. In his lawsuit, Whittemore includes a copy of a Seeno employee email to a supervisor expressing fear that he would be asked to commit crimes for the family after Albert Seeno III called his work cell phone and told him to tell Whittemore: I am gonna fly up to Reno and break his legs if we dont get our money.. 'I love a good dill pickle, and you eat the top part off, and then you put a peppermint in the middle' These stars have shared their strange eating habits! 1999-07-27 04:00:00 PDT CONCORD -- Call me politically incorrect, but my favorite developer is Albert D. Seeno Jr. The areas worst-rated builder, Seeno, scored an 84. He said he has been in business with the Seenos for 33 years and has never had an argument or cross word with either brother. But soon after buying in, Seeno said he began asking questions about the operation. racist or sexually-oriented language. Like other developers, hes been sued numerous times over construction defects in his homes. You have permission to edit this article. Enjoy unlimited access to your local news. Save Mount Diablo was supportive of this project for more than a decade, but the decision in August 2021 to make Seeno and partners the master developer threatened to turn what could be a boon for this region into an utter disaster.. On 03/17/2022 ALBERT D SEENO JR SANDRA L SEENO PCI was filed as a Probate - Trust lawsuit. In a world where most builders portray themselves as sensitive stewards of the land, nature-lovers who curl up at night with John Muir's journals, A.D. Seeno Construction Co. of Concord reminds me of development's good old bad old days. Matthias Gafni is a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter for the Bay Area News Group. "These people are the salt of the Earth. A human being just doesn't need that kind of extravagance. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism "It was clear these businesses were not being run properly," he said. Staff writer Lisa Vorderbrueggen contributed to this report. . Seeno Construction had a permit to let its contractor bulldoze an old barn and a small house but had been instructed not to touch any trees. 2019. Paganetti said he was "pouring coffee at a coffee shop" in 1978 or 1979 when he met Albert Seeno through a mutual friend. 2020. You can sign up online or call us at 925-634-1441. Contact. The suit filed in a Nevada federal court Wednesday,. He also wanted a much larger development than is now there, so large that Clayton fought him every step of the way. They were one of the first to offer video poker and soon had 86 slots and four table games, he said. Tree chopping is nothing new in the annals of Seeno-dom: In 1987, two dozen aged oak trees were cleared from Concord land considered for development by Seeno. But their most recent Nevada partnership has exploded into a high-profile, high-stakes legal battle with Harvey Whittemore one of Nevada's most powerful and well-known lobbyists, lawyers and political players after they claimed in a lawsuit that Whittemore embezzled and misappropriated funds from their partnership company, Wingfield Nevada Group, which owns the Red Hawk Resort in Sparks, the Coyote Springs development near Las Vegas and other businesses. I wasn't a BeyHive member. We'd love to hear eyewitness The Gaming Control Board also accused Seeno of violating gaming license rules by associating with convicted felons, including one who was a member of the Hells Angels, which they called "the largest, richest, most sophisticated and best organized and most feared outlaw motorcycle gang in the world.". Seeno -- who apparently views open hills as an open opportunity -- wants to charge in anyway and build 152 luxury houses. And last summer, his company was fined $1 million after pleading guilty in federal court to destroying the habitat of endangered red-legged frogs at his San Marco project in Pittsburg. "It was an emotional time," Seeno said. ft. mansion on the 60-acre hill atop his land. His dream, Rossi said, was to provide affordable houses to the working class, especially the people of Pittsburg. Albert D Seeno Iii Family Foundation is a private foundation in Concord, CA, which was founded in 2019 and most recently had $1 in revenue and no employees. A Las Vegas health department has filed notices of violation against the Seenos alleging the Concord familys Nevada golf course illegally installed septic systems, the latest charge in the developers checkered environmental past. "They know what they want, and they're not shy about going after it.". Seeno Construction had a permit to let its contractor bulldoze an old barn and a small house but had been instructed not to touch any trees. Whittemore, the Las Vegas gaming, alcohol and tobacco lobbyist, alleges that Seeno Jr. threatened to take down the states political machine by going to the FBI with alleged financial misappropriations. They had the best champagne. CONCORD The Concord City Council set free Albert Seeno III on Saturday, Jan. 28. The plaintiffs claim they have each suffered more than $250,000 in damages, as they would not have bought the houses in the Veranda at San Marco development had they been fully aware of a $3,000-plus special assessment. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? When the Coyote Springs litigation and allegations emerged in the Mamer Complaint where Brad Mamer alleged Seeno Family stole, threatened and intimidated him as a witness I personally support those allegations. Seeno Company never expressed any specific concerns or opposition to the new park during the two-decades-long planning process . He said he presented his ideas to the Seenos and they decided together to reinvest into the community. $1. "Albert and Tom had been 'fighting' for years, and they saw the WNG investment as a way to bring the brothers back together," according to the suit. He faces 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Threats of harming another Rossi said Mr. Seeno worked alongside his construction crews whenever he could. As Albert D. Seeno III seeks to strike a deal with Concord officials to lead the Bay Area's largest development project, his father is trying to fire him as CEO of five companies in the family's building empire. Seeno apparently does not dispute that he said he would kill Mr. Shahid, he simply claims he was angry and did not really mean it. . Please support us by making a contribution. 2.2 million square feet towards an Innovation District, supporting more than 5,000 new jobs. "They're very aggressive," says Supervisor Joe Canciamilla from eastern Contra Costa County, who knows the Seenos well from a stint on the Pittsburg City Council. . To read the full lawsuit, go to www.contracostatimes.com/extra. Avalanche engulfs two stories of Tahoe apartment building; evacuations are ordered, Antioch council unable to agree on funding July 4 event, Alameda County Supervisors allow eviction moratorium to remain until end of April, Teen girls arrested after allegedly riding scooters into San Francisco pedestrians. In 2008, the Albert Seeno Construction Company and California reached $3 million settlement with the California Attorney General's office after the California Department of Fish and Game discovered permit violations during grading at a subdivision project in Antioch. 2000-01-24 04:00:00 PDT PITTSBURG -- Services will be held tomorrow for Albert Seeno Sr., the son of an immigrant fisherman who became one of the East Bay's most prominent real estate developers. Im going to kill you! 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