I-Team: Following the casino money

(WWLP) - More connections between competing casino projects.  
 
The 22News I-Team continues to follow the money.  

Three people now involved with Springfield casino projects had money invested in Palmer's.  

It's unclear if they could still benefit from that investment.

Paul Picknelly and Tom Murphy are investors in MGM Springfield.  

Herbie Flores, runs the Non-Profit - New England Farm Workers Council.  
The Farm Workers council owns the Paramount Theater, which is a key part of Penn National Gaming's plan.  

The 22News I-Team obtained a letter from Northeast Realty, the group that owns the land Mohegan Sun wants to build on in Palmer, addressed to Paul Picknelly.

The letter claims that in 2007 Picknelly bought an ownership stake in Northeast Realty through FMP, LLC.  

FMP, LLC is a limited liability corporation started by Flores, Murphy and Picknelly.  

A MGM spokesman told the 22News I-Team, Picknelly never received the letter... both Picknelly and Murphy are no longer involved with FMP, LLC.  The spokesman did say FMP, LLC invested roughly $100,000 with Northeast Realty.  

This past June, documents shows Josh Vassallo became the sole manager of FMP, LLC.  Picknelly, Murphy and Flores' name was removed.  Vassallo is the Director of Operations at Paul Picknelly's Sheraton Hotel and his son in law.  

As for Herbie Flores, his attorney Bill Bennett told 22News he gave up his personal interest in FMP, LLC this past April, to avoid any conflicts with future Springfield projects.  That was Flores' personal money.  New England Farm Workers have a deal with Penn National Gaming, not Flores personally

Northeast Realty's lawyer (Steve Spelman) is out of the area and not available to comment but the group says it is still waiting to hear Paul Picknelly's response to their letter.    

Northeast Realty has started litigation with Paul's brother, Peter Picknelly, who has a 50 percent stake in Penn National's plan, but Northeast Realty claims Peter Picknelly is still tied to a $500,000 investment with them.