The Vagos Motorcycle Club , also known as the Green Nation , is a one percenter motorcycle club formed in 1964 in San Bernardino, California . The club's insignia is Loki , the Norse god of mischief, riding a motorcycle. Members typically wear green.
61-646: The Vagos have approximately 4,000 members among 200 chapters located in the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Missouri, as well as chapters throughout Europe and ten chapters located in Mexico (Baja California, Jalisco and Mexico City). Vagos in Ontario, Canada were reported to have patched over to Outlaws Motorcycle Club (American Outlaws Association) in 2015 before AOA disbanded in 2018. Two hundred members are in Inland Empire , where
122-621: A meth lab . The raids were the result of several incidents involving booby traps where the club was implicated: California and federal authorities announced a $ 200,000 reward for information on these cases. California Attorney General Jerry Brown called the attempts "urban terrorism." Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco said that Vagos members posed an "extreme threat" to law enforcement officers and were notorious for trying to "infiltrate" public safety agencies, by obtaining sworn or non-sworn positions and working undercover to obstruct and dismantle police investigations. In March 2011,
183-526: A "dress shirt (retirement style)", according to the club's bylaws. Some club leaders, however, such as James "Big Jim" Nolan , have at times upheld a ban on members retiring from the Outlaws. Outlaws chapters are governed by an elected officer corps consisting of a president , vice president , treasurer , and sergeant-at-arms , or " enforcer ". Chapters follow guidelines that dictate election procedures, gatherings, and action against members who have violated
244-428: A $ 300 fine. Members are also instructed by the club to attend funerals of fellow Outlaws. Additionally, Outlaws members reportedly transfer their membership from chapter to chapter more frequently than members of other prominent motorcycle clubs. Regarding contact with non-club members, Outlaws are required to adhere to a "strict no comment policy". After a year of membership in the club, Outlaws are eligible to sport
305-444: A bargaining agreement. The trial for the two Vagos members, as well as a Hells Angels member who fired at a crowd, was held on October 29, 2012. In 1974, four Vagos members were convicted and sentenced to death for murdering University of New Mexico student William Velten. The four, Richard Greer, Ronald Keine, Clarence Smith and Thomas Gladish, spent 17 months on death row, but during the appeals process, Kerry Rodney Lee confessed to
366-418: A head-on view of a motorcycle in a winged circle, which was hand-painted onto the back of members' jackets. In 1950, the club's logo was changed; a small skull replaced the winged motorcycle, and Old English -style letters were adopted. This design was embroidered on a black shirt or hand-painted onto leather jackets. Influenced by the fictional Black Rebel Motorcycle Club depicted in the film The Wild One ,
427-494: A member's rank within the organization is also worn by club officers. An "S.S." patch featuring twin lightning bolts is allegedly awarded to members who have committed murder, attempted murder or a bombing on behalf of the club. A black-and-white color scheme is associated with the Outlaws, as is Totenkopf imagery, symbols such as a hand clenching a pistol, and paraphernalia featuring the phrases "Support Black & White" and "Support Your Local Outlaws", or "SYLO". In 1969,
488-447: A muscle-bound caricature of the Norse god of mischief, Loki, set against a green field". Loki is colored red on top of a bike with his hands holding up their club name. Other patches the club wears are the number 22 (the 22nd letter of the alphabet, V, for Vagos), and a Loki head. An MF patch (meaning motorcycle family), is received by a member after a probationary period is over and the member
549-625: A rival group of club members who preferred to smoke marijuana . John Davis, the reputed founder of the Outlaws, was killed by a "pot smoker" and Vietnam veteran during a shootout near Lake Shore Drive on the North Side of Chicago as a result of the feud. The Outlaws' long-standing rivalry with the Hells Angels began when three Hells Angel bikers were executed by Outlaw members in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 27, 1974. The triple murder
610-527: A rooster in their Golden Rooster Room was seized by United States marshals in 1960, then returned in 1962, following a lawsuit . In 1995, John Ascuaga announced that a second tower would be built, costing $ 75 million. Ascuaga designed it with local architect Peter B. Wilday, whose works include the Atlantis and the Peppermill . The tower opened along with a new restaurant and hotel lobby on December 26, 1996. That
671-581: A statement reading: "The government has labeled the Outlaws MC a criminal organization and all it's [ sic ] members as criminals simply because they are members. This is one of the most untrue and unjust statements ever made concerning our club. Each and every day through out [ sic ] America and the World members of Law Enforcement, Religious, Fraternal organizations as well as many other groups are convicted of criminal activity. Their membership
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#1733085872578732-526: A tattoo of the club's emblem as well as club slogans, such as "God forgives, Outlaws don't", or "GFOD". After five years, club members may have replicas of their "colors" tattooed on their backs. Additional tattoos may reflect membership information. Allegedly, a member who has killed or attempted to kill for the Outlaws is permitted to wear "lightening bolts", a tattoo featuring a Nazi -style "SS" doppelte Siegrune (double sig runes) symbol. Incarcerated Outlaws members are known as "Lounge Lizards", of which
793-468: A year, and local runs typically occur weekly. Membership dues are divided between the chapter and the region and are used to finance activities such as memorials and group excursions. Outlaws members are usually assessed a fee if a fellow club member is in need of legal assistance. It is compulsory for all members other than chapter presidents to take turns providing 24-hour armed guard at Outlaws clubhouses. Indiscipline and rule breaches are punished with
854-642: Is designated an organized crime syndicate by numerous law enforcement and international intelligence agencies, including the United States Department of Justice , the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada , and Europol . Originating as the McCook Outlaws MC, the club was founded by Electro-Motive Company employees at Matilda's bar on Route 66 in the southwestern Chicago suburb of McCook, Illinois in 1935. John Davis
915-449: Is forbidden for any item bearing the club's logo to touch the floor. Members are required to pay dues of $ 1,200 per year and to attend local, regional and national events. Obligatory chapter "church" meetings are held weekly, and club motorcycle trips and parties which may last several days, known as "runs", are held throughout the year. National runs take place three or four times per year, regional runs occur between five and twenty times
976-481: Is not universally labeled as criminals". A saying used by members of the club is: "Outlaws we are, RICO we're not". John Ascuaga%27s Nugget Casino Resort Nugget Casino Resort (formerly Dick Graves' Nugget and John Ascuaga's Nugget ) is a casino hotel in Sparks, Nevada . It is operated by Century Casinos . The main portion of the casino consists of two 29-story towers nestled between Interstate 80 and
1037-700: Is validated as a member of the Vagos family on the front. Some members have been seen with a green swastika and an "SS" symbol on their jackets. The Vagos have Chapters all throughout Southern California. They have Chapters in Venice beach to the High Desert of California, Inland Empire which includes both Riverside County, California and San Bernardino County, California in the city of San Bernardino where they started, Azusa California San Gabriel Valley chapter, Hawthorne, Los Angeles and San Diego . They also have chapters in
1098-677: The American Outlaws Association or its acronym, A.O.A. , is an international outlaw motorcycle club . Founded in McCook, Illinois in 1935, the Outlaws MC is the oldest outlaw biker club in the world. With 441 chapters located in 43 countries, and a membership of over 3,000, the club is also the third-largest in the world, behind the Hells Angels and the Bandidos . Outlaws members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The club
1159-539: The Midwest . The South Side, Chicago chapter was designated the club's "mother chapter" in 1964 and is known as the "Mother Ship" among Outlaws members. During the presidency of Harry "Taco" Bowman , from 1984 until 1999, the Outlaws' leadership was based in Detroit . Bowman's successor, James "Big Frank" Wheeler, relocated the club's headquarters to Tampa, Florida . The subsequent Outlaws international president, Jack Rosga,
1220-659: The Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club in Canada "patched over". The club further expanded internationally, into France in 1993, Australia in 1994, and Norway in 1995. Additional chapters were subsequently established throughout Europe. In November 2006, the Outlaws became the first major outlaw motorcycle club to open a chapter in the Far East when a full charter was awarded to a club in Okinawa City . The Outlaws' original insignia consisted of
1281-785: The Union Pacific rail yard . There are additional attached buildings underneath and across I-80 from the towers. It is located in Downtown Sparks at the Victorian Square. Dick Graves' Nugget was opened on March 17, 1955. Dick Graves and Jim Kelley opened the Carson Nugget on March 1, 1954, in Carson City . In 1960, John Ascuaga (1925–2021), then general manager, bought the Sparks Nugget. Ascuaga had little money when he purchased
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#17330858725781342-531: The Iron Cross club in West Palm Beach . The club featured in a work of photojournalism called The Bikeriders published in 1967 by Danny Lyon , a collection of photographs and interviews documenting the lifestyle of members of the club in the 1960s. Lyon spent four years riding with the Outlaws' Chicago chapter beginning in 1963 and became a full-fledged member of the club in "an attempt to record and glorify
1403-412: The Outlaws added crossed pistons affixed to the original small skull in 1954, a design embroidered on a black western-style shirt with white piping. The skull and crossed pistons logo, known as "Charlie", was redesigned in 1959, making it larger and with more detail. The club's "Charlie" insignia is a registered trademark . In 1963, the Outlaws began wearing a diamond-shaped " 1%er " patch , becoming
1464-493: The Outlaws is "patched" or "patchwearing" member, which is attained by a unanimous vote of each chapter. Upon becoming a full-fledged member, an Outlaw is permitted to wear a vest bearing the club's insignia, known as " colors ", and to attend weekly "church" meetings. The patch on a member's colors displaying the Outlaws emblem is surrounded by other patches denoting chapter and club membership information, which are called "rockers". These rocker patches are purchased directly from
1525-1008: The Outlaws merged with the Cult biker club from Voorheesville, New York , the Gypsy Outlaws of Milwaukee , and the Gypsy Raiders in Louisville, Kentucky , becoming the largest " one percenter " club east of the Mississippi River and the second-largest in the United States after the California-based Hells Angels . On January 1, 1965, the various aligned clubs incorporated as the American Outlaws Association. The Outlaws further expanded into Florida in July 1967 by "patching over"
1586-544: The Outlaws, and are required to perform menial tasks and guard duties on the Outlaws' behalf. According to law enforcement, the Outlaws utilize support clubs to carry out retail-level drug distribution and violent crimes in order to insulate the club from possible criminal liability. The official, and primary, support club for the Outlaws is the Black Pistons Motorcycle Club , which is active internationally. Other support clubs range from local groups, such as
1647-742: The Undertakers MC in Lexington, Kentucky , to regional clubs like the Chosen Few MC, which is based in Canada and Upstate New York. Although the Outlaws are a White -only club, the group's support clubs include African American motorcycle clubs, such as the Outcast MC. In Norway, the Outlaws oversee the Black & White Crew, a "street crew" in which members are not required to own a motorcycle. The Outlaws are classified by various law enforcement agencies in
1708-470: The United States as one of the "big four" motorcycle gangs , along with the Bandidos , the Hells Angels , and the Pagans . The Department of Justice contends that the club is involved in organized crime , including drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, prostitution rings, weapons trafficking, and violent acts directed at rival clubs. One recurring allegation is that the Outlaws are responsible for
1769-658: The Vagos clubhouse on Kings Row where she was beaten and sexually assaulted. On August 13, 2011, law enforcement authorities reported that the Vagos Motorcycle Club and the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club were involved in a shootout which shut down traffic on I-44 near Waynesville, Missouri . The local 9-1-1 center received about 20 calls, which reported that approximately 20 men were fighting, and that shots had been fired. Outlaws Motorcycle Club The Outlaws Motorcycle Club , incorporated as
1830-505: The arrest of 25 Vagos members and associates for violating firearms and drugs policies. It was "one of the largest coordinated law enforcement probes ever conducted in Southern California ". The investigators seized 95 illegal firearms, illegal drugs, $ 6,000 cash, and two stolen motorcycles. An ATF agent called the group a "ruthless criminal bike gang" that deals in "guns, drugs, and death." Operation 22 Green and its lead-up were used as
1891-565: The basis for the first season of the television series Gangland Undercover . In December 2007, police arrested six Vagos members for "charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree robbery, coercion and second-degree kidnapping" that occurred in August 2007. The victim had announced he was leaving the club, but suffered a beating at the Custom Motorcycle auto shop in Grants Pass, Oregon , and
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1952-464: The chapter, before being made a prospective member, or "prospect"; if he is approved by the club, then a prospect is moved up to probationary, or "probate", status, a position in which he is required to demonstrate his commitment to the club. A probate is identified by wearing a mandatory patch on a cut-off leather or denim vest reading: "Probationary Outlaws". The probationary period typically lasts several months. The highest level of membership in
2013-530: The club adopted the motto "God forgives, Outlaws don't" ("GFOD"). The Outlaws' rivalry with the Hells Angels has given rise to other phrases used by Outlaws members; namely "ADIOS" (the Spanish word for "goodbye", but in this case doubling as an acronym for " A ngels D ie I n O utlaw S tates"), and "All Hells Angels must die", or "AHAMD". "Snitches are a dying breed" as well as the more generic "Outlaws forever, forever Outlaws" ("OFFO") are other mottos used by
2074-405: The club maintains a list and collects money on behalf of. An Outlaw who has served a prison sentence is entitled to receive an "LL", or "Lounge Lizard", tattoo. Other tattoos common with club members include "AHAMD", an acronym for "All Hells Angels must die". Members can leave the club in either "bad standing", "good standing", in retirement or when deceased. Retired Outlaws are permitted to wear
2135-452: The club sued Riverside County law enforcement for defamation and damages caused by implicating the group to the attacks on the Hemet police officers. On August 1, Riverside County settled the lawsuit, and cleared the club of any involvement with the attacks on the officers. Meanwhile, they had arrested two men that had no ties to the club. The club's attorney, Joseph Yanny, stated he was pleased with
2196-557: The club was started in the late 1960s. In 2013, the Vagos expanded to Sweden. A member from the Berdoo chapter (slang for San Bernardino ) created a patch while he was in prison featuring Loki, the Norse god of mischief . Vago is Spanish for vagabond or wanderer. Their denim jackets sport their top rockers with their club name integrated into the middle patch, and bottom rockers with their chapter's region or state, such as "SO. CAL", "California", or "Arizona". The middle patch "depicts
2257-598: The club's bylaws. According to law enforcement, the Outlaws' internal enforcer squad is known as the "S.S.". The club has 441 chapters located in 43 countries, in Asia, Europe and North America. Each chapter is headquartered at a clubhouse, which is typically a building secured by concrete walls, steel doors, razor wire, guard dogs, and video surveillance. Clubhouses are used to host "church" meetings and parties. Chapter presidents report to regional presidents, who oversee individual regions, which are divided and named by color, such as
2318-421: The club. Outside of North America, however, this rule has been relaxed, allowing members to ride motorcycles manufactured in any country, provided they are in the chopper style. The following five criteria are considered when evaluating an aspiring Outlaws member: To be formally inducted into club, applicants have to be sponsored by a member, and they begin as an associate, or "hangaround", in order to assist
2379-421: The club. Patches featuring these various abbreviations are commonly worn by Outlaws members. To be eligible for Outlaws membership, applicants must be White men over the age of 21 and also be in possession of an American-made motorcycle of at least 750 cc . Outlaws in the United States and Canada are essentially limited to riding Indian , Victory and Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which are most common in
2440-434: The first club east of the Mississippi River to do so. The "one percenter" emblem was originally adopted by several California biker clubs beginning in 1960. After incorporating as the American Outlaws Association in 1965, the club added an additional A.O.A. patch to its " colors ", featuring an upstretched middle finger in a rounded triangle. The A.O.A. emblem was adopted as a parody of the A.M.A. logo. A patch listing
2501-683: The gray region ( Tennessee ), the green region ( Kentucky , Ohio and Oklahoma ), the orange region ( Florida ), the red region ( New England and the Philadelphia metro area ), the silver region ( Alabama and Georgia ), and the white region ( Illinois ). Formerly, the club's territory was divided into three areas; "Central", headquartered in Chicago ; "North", headquartered in Detroit ; and "South", headquartered in Oklahoma City . The Outlaws' international headquarters has historically been centred in
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2562-528: The industry, which had no sister properties or outside backing, the Ascuagas affirm they were not in a position to improve their property. Global Gaming CEO Cartlon Geer, who has roots to Northern Nevada, became the new CEO and President. He confirmed that with the help of partner Husky Finance, they began in 2014 $ 50 million worth of improvements and remodeling to the property. The sale closed December 16, 2013. The Ascuagas remained on board in advisory roles through
2623-431: The international president. Club rules dictate that the Outlaws' patches must be worn on leather or black denim (blue denim is banned) and that club regalia is not allowed to be worn by members' wives or girlfriends. Women affiliated with the club, known as "old ladies", are, however, allowed to wear vests with patches reading: "Property of the Outlaws". Outlaws are instructed to guard their colors with their lives, and it
2684-652: The largest in the country. Also, on July 4, the Star-Spangled Sparks celebration, as well as the largest fireworks show in Northern Nevada after New Year's Eve in Downtown Reno. On October 10, 2013, the Ascuaga family announced it had reached an agreement with Las Vegas-based Global Gaming And Hospitality to sell the 1600 room property. A sale price was not disclosed, arguably the last lone family run casino/resort in
2745-524: The life of the American bike rider". The Bikeriders preceded Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs by Hunter S. Thompson , who warned Lyon that he should "get to hell out of that club unless it's absolutely necessary for photo action." During the early 1970s, a power struggle for control of the Outlaws developed between a faction of " beer drinkers" and
2806-605: The many second-tier, after the " Big Four ", outlaw motorcycle gangs. On March 17, 2010, amid allegations that Vagos members had fabricated home-made booby traps to maim and kill police detectives in Hemet, California , police arrested at least 30 Vagos members in a multi-state raid of Utah , Nevada , Arizona , and California, involving 400 police officers from 60 law enforcement agencies. The police raided 73 locations in Southern California, seizing weapons and drugs, and discovered
2867-497: The murder. In October 1998, police arrested more than a dozen Vagos members for kidnapping, drug and weapons crimes, following a two-year undercover investigation. In September 2004, state police arrested 26 members and seized more than $ 125,000 in cash, drugs and guns. On March 9, 2006, law enforcement conducted "Operation 22 Green", which involved 700 personnel from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and local police and sheriff's departments. The operation resulted in
2928-556: The numerous parcels of land around the property, leading to a flurry of high-density housing developments to start construction in Downtown Sparks. In July 2014, the Nugget Courtyard building was sold to The Siegel Group and renamed Siegel Suites Sparks. Global Gaming and Hospitality sold the Nugget to Marnell Gaming in May 2016. In 2022, Marnell Gaming agreed to sell a controlling stake in
2989-534: The production and distribution of methamphetamine . Law enforcement and intelligence agencies internationally, including the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada and Europol , also consider the Outlaws a criminal organization. Members have continuously denied that the Outlaws are an organized crime syndicate, asserted that the club is simply a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who live a nonconventional lifestyle, and described allegations by investigators and prosecutors as exaggerated. The Outlaws' website features
3050-407: The red and blue regions. Regional president in turn report to the club's international president, who heads the Outlaws organization. The Outlaws' territory in the United States is divided into ten color-coded regions; the black region ( Indiana and Michigan ), the blue region ( Pennsylvania ), the copper region ( North Carolina , South Carolina and Virginia ), the gold region ( Wisconsin ),
3111-456: The result: "This was never about money. What was important was that the club clear its name and take this shadow off them." On September 23, 2011, Vagos members were involved in a shooting at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks, Nevada , where Jeffrey Pettigrew, the president of the San Jose, California chapter of Hells Angels was killed, and Vagos members were wounded. The next day, a Vagos member
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#17330858725783172-535: The small venue so he paid via loan, which he paid back in full within the number of years granted. Ascuaga earned money from the success of his business, which led him to expand, over and over again, throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Celebrity Showroom, first known as the Circus Room, was constructed in the 1960s and featured Liberace , Peggy Lee , Sergio Franchi , The Osmond Brothers , Robert Goulet , Red Skelton and others. Construction began shortly thereafter and
3233-851: The states of Hawaii, Oregon , Nevada , and Utah , Arizona, Georgia, New York, Missouri, New Mexico, Idaho, Texas, Illinois also the country of Mexico, Mexicali BC Mother Chapter, Tijuana chapter, Tecate Centro, Rumorosa, Rosarito Beach, México City, Azcapotzalco. Canada, Also in Central America in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. In South America there are Chapters in Brazil, Chile and Ecuador. Chapters in Europe are in Germany (3 Chapters, East, Central and South-West),France, Belgium (2 Chapters) and Romania. The Vagos are considered by law enforcement to be among
3294-438: The transition and after the sale was completed. Geer continually failed to meet revenue targets to unlock funds from his finance partners, and made questionable decisions regarding the property renovations. The long-standing iconic Trader Dick's restaurant was replaced by a Gilley's chain restaurant, which failed to bring in the crowds that Geer expected. After being cut off from his finance partners, Geer raised capital by selling
3355-619: Was based in Milwaukee . In April 2021, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi alleged in court papers that the current international president of the Outlaws is John Ermin, the general manager of Pharaoh's Gentlemen's Club in Cheektowaga, New York . Each major Outlaws chapter maintains one to five support clubs , smaller motorcycle clubs which are within the Outlaws' sphere of influence. Members of such clubs are permitted to attend Outlaws events and wear "support" patches which identify them with
3416-519: Was carried out in retaliation for the earlier beating of an Outlaw by a Hells Angel, which took place in New York City on December 31, 1973. The Hells Angels declared war on the Outlaws during a club summit held in Cleveland later in 1974. The conflict resulted in hundreds of fatalities in each club in the following decades. In 1977, the Outlaws became an international club when several chapters of
3477-561: Was completed December 26, 1984. Ascuaga deemed it one more Christmas present to the community and also deemed it an "exclamation point in the sky". The Nugget's primary attraction from, 1962 through the late 1990s, was Bertha the Elephant, who often entertained in the Circus Room. She was later joined by elephants Tina and Angel. They were also attractions at the annual Nevada Day parade in Carson City. Bertha died in 1999. A solid gold statue of
3538-578: Was reportedly the founder of the club. Although inactive during World War II , the Outlaws reformed afterwards and attended the first major post-war motorcycle rally , held at Soldier Field in Chicago in May 1946. By 1950, the club had begun recruiting members from around the Chicago area and was renamed the Chicago Outlaws MC after relocating its headquarters to the South Side of the city. In 1964,
3599-501: Was the last major expansion done by the Nugget. In 1997, Ascuaga's daughter Michonne took over as CEO, running the hotel and casino along with her brother Stephen. The two said at the time they would keep the business in the family and continue to make re-investments. They also said there was no need for more hotel rooms. The hotel hosts popular events such as it annual Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off , considered one of
3660-511: Was then taken to his home where they attempted to rob him they failed. Three Vagos members were arrested on June 9 and 10, 2009, and charged with sexually assaulting a woman in San Jose, California . Police investigators told the San Jose Mercury News that the victim met the three men in a nightclub on May 4, 2009, and that they had offered to drive her home, but instead they took her to
3721-533: Was wounded at a rally by a drive-by shooter. On September 29, police arrested Ernesto Manuel Gonzales, a Vagos member, at the University of California, San Francisco , for killing Pettigrew. On December 7, police announced that they had arrested Gary Rudnick, the vice-president of the Los Angeles chapter of Vagos, for instigating the fight that led to the shooting. Rudnick later pleaded guilty to second degree murder in
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