Night Club
Pharaohs Gentlemen's ClubInformation and Alerts
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Government Actions
Federal jury convicts Pharaoh’s owner of multiple charges, including bribery, sex trafficking conspiracy and witness tampering
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted Peter Gerace, 57, of Clarence, NY, of conspiracy to defraud the United States, bribery, sex trafficking conspiracy, maintaining a drug involved premises, narcotics conspiracy, witness tampering, and distribution of cocaine, which carry a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Tripi, Nicholas T. Cooper, and Casey L. Chalbeck, stated that between 2005, and 2019, Gerace, owner and operator of Pharaoh's Gentlemen's Club, conspired to defraud the United States and paid cash bribes to Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Joseph Bongiovanni. In exchange for payments he received, Bongiovanni protected Gerace and utilized his position to dissuade other members of law enforcement from conducting investigations into Gerace’s activities at Pharaoh’s. Bongiovanni was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
In addition, between 2006, through 2019, Gerace knowingly maintained Pharaoh’s Gentlemen's Club as a drug involved premises, where he and others distributed cocaine, Adderall, marijuana, and heroin. Gerace and others distributed controlled substances and used other methods to coerce Pharaoh’s dancers to engage in sex acts inside Pharaoh’s. Gerace also, acting with others, sent threatening Facebook messages to a witness in order to prevent her from testifying and providing information in an official proceeding.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 15, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., before Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, who presided over the trial of the case.
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