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Father disputes son's $53,000 strip club bill
Associated Press
Published October 29, 2007
FORT WALTON BEACH - A father wants investigators to pursue fraud and larceny charges against a Panhandle strip club after his son ran up a $53,000 bill in a single night while celebrating his college graduation. Joe Salter, 52, of Mary Esther, told investigators Club 10 employees took advantage of his 24-year-old son, Tommy. The younger Salter was at the club Aug. 18 to celebrate his graduation from Georgia Tech. According to a report from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Salter told employees he could only spend $600. But Club 10 owner Tim Beal said Salter bought at least 19 bottles of champagne - priced from $150 to $2,000. Beal said Salter signed a receipt for each champagne purchase and even scrawled his initials next to itemized charges. But the elder Salter said only the signature on the first receipt matches his son's. The sheriff's report alleges larceny and credit card fraud. Beal said Salter appeared to know what he was doing throughout the night. "This fellow was lucid," Beal said. "He was actually dancing with the manager, Chris, right before he left." Beal said he talked to American Express after Salter filed a complaint with the company, seeking to have part of the charge withdrawn. The company decided in Club 10's favor, he said.
[Last modified October 29, 2007, 00:06:28]
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Comments on this article
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by SCORES HOST
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12/31/07 03:26 AM
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Yeah, this type of bill is easy to run up. Most strip clubs carry very fine champagne and we charge 300 for example for a bottle of Jack Daniels. I see people run up insane bills all the time, and spend thousands in a night.
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by John
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11/08/07 08:15 PM
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As Dave Barry Sez:"You can't Spell Florida Without'Duh'!!)
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by Jay
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10/30/07 09:00 PM
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Who cares if he could only spend 600? He is supposed to be an adult, the club or anyone else besides Tommy, I never have been anywhere when the establishment had to keep me under daddy's rules. He needs to grow up and become responsible for himself
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by BillyBob
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10/30/07 03:11 PM
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American Express is the WORSE credit card company on the planet. They screw every consumer on every dispute. Lost $2000 on plane tix because of them. Cancel your AMEX, do yourself a favor.
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by Bud
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10/30/07 11:53 AM
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I'll bet 16 or 17 of those bottles of champagne are still in the back of the club. And I bet they won't go for $2,000 again.Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.
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by bob
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10/29/07 09:29 PM
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The last time I went to a strip club I spent 160 dollars.Your son Tommy is a complete moron.
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by krystle
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10/29/07 08:43 PM
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i think the club should be investigated here i never heard of a strip club having good wine at least good enough wine to cost 2000 n i agree that the kid should have been more carefull with his card but not an excuse for the club to take advantage.
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by alvin
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10/29/07 07:58 PM
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after a yr or so dad knows that they will take 10 cents on the dollar to pay off,,,but there is no way a strip joint has ten bottles of anything behind the counter try,, half and half,,then add it by half and there is your lap dance, i went to ga t,
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by me
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10/29/07 07:27 PM
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FRAUD!! AMEX only wants the $$$$$$$. If they knew he could only spend 600 bucks, why did they serve him beyond that? Did they not think that anyone would notice? Strip clubs are a breeding ground for drugs. Go get em boys in blue! Owner is lying.
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by Phillip
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10/29/07 07:23 PM
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Send him back to school,,,his head is still empty...you too dad..
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by dan
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10/29/07 06:59 PM
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glad they taught the boy well at Ga Tech. I hope he is not a finance major. God help us all. What an idiot. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. There should be a visa commercial on this Ga Tech $100,000. Grad party ata strip club priceless!!
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by Craig
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10/29/07 06:34 PM
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Typical case of buyer's remorse. He spent it, he's responsible for the charges. Sounds like the Dad should have a good talk with his son and not the club.
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by Jen
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10/29/07 05:53 PM
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How many friends did Junior have with him? I'd say he should pay his tab and learn from his mistakes....
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by Steve
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10/29/07 05:33 PM
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Some one let chris rock know that we may have found a club where there is sex in the champagne room!
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by Jason
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10/29/07 04:29 PM
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Tommy Boy! Your back!!!
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by Maria
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10/29/07 02:58 PM
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The strip club trip did not cost as much as a GA Tech education. He obviously learned more from the strip club experience than at GA Tech. Sounds like a bargain to me. Everybody is not college material..something to think about.
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by FormerBarOwner
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10/29/07 01:40 PM
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Like Steve said, you can't meet Good People in Bad Places! You NEVER take an Amex card into a strip club, period! Cash only -- when the cash runs out, the girls will leave you alone, trust me. Sounds like Tommy needed a finance course or two!
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by tim
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10/29/07 12:38 PM
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can you say moron.
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by Steve
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10/29/07 11:55 AM
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19 "bottles of champagne" - translation: 19 hookers for Tommy and 18 friends.
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by Lee
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10/29/07 09:55 AM
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Came to spend $600 and didn't knock off untill $53000?? Here's the lesson: Don't study mathematics at Ga Tech. Poor baby.
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by Mike
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10/29/07 09:55 AM
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they should sue Ga Tech for letting him out after only 6 years
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by Jack
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10/29/07 09:50 AM
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What kind of idiot gives an American Express Card to a young man and sends him to a strip club with a $600 limit on a card with unlimited purchasing power available on the card? Duh......
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by Joan
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10/29/07 09:41 AM
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Sounds like the club is lying. Do you really think he would have been able to walk out of the club after 19 bottles of champagne. Plus in these clubs some of the women will do anything to make that sale, even forgery
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by joe
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10/29/07 09:27 AM
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to those saying he was drunk, the owner said he was lucid, so he is or isn't. This has happened before though in other stories where someone rang up 5-6 figure tabs.... I don't know how the hell they can do it, or want to do it.
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by Brian
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10/29/07 09:18 AM
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Was this kid wearing a Pacman jersey by chance?
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by Bland
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10/29/07 08:57 AM
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I think someone got more than 19 bottles of wine.....I sure would like to see the video.....Something doesn't sound legal.....I think some wise guys are involved.....He must be a rambling wreck from Georgia Tech and a heck of an Engineer....
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by David
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10/29/07 08:43 AM
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Cash only at the strip clubs kids....cash only!
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by JAMES
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10/29/07 08:42 AM
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Caveat Emptor...A lesson learned...You don't meet Good People in Bad Places...I fell into that Trap 28 years ago & it cost me over $7500 plus...So Good Luck !!!
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by Angel
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10/29/07 08:41 AM
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Wonder how many buddies Salter had with him at the "celebration", to have drank 19 bottles of champagne. Also suprised to hear a strip club actually having quality champagne in stock to actually warrant $150 a bottle, let alone $2000! I Think a SCAM
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by TOM
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10/29/07 08:13 AM
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Graduation party ? What did this kid major in stupidity ?
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by Joe
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10/29/07 06:59 AM
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The club took advantage of an inabriated person. Their licence should be effected.
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by Kris
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10/29/07 06:58 AM
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Of course his signatures didn't match; he was drunk!! Anyway, he's an adult. It's time to learn responsibilty for your actions. Daddy can't take care of you or your messes forever.
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by shuman
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10/29/07 06:55 AM
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sounds like he got carried away and the more he drank the messy his hand writing got.
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by Dave
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10/29/07 06:35 AM
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Sounds like a heck of a party.....
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