Las Vegas Unveils Its Wildest True Stories and Debunked Myths
Las Vegas has long been a city of wild stories—some true, others pure myth. Recent revelations have shed light on bizarre legal battles, hidden informants, and the truth behind decades-old urban legends. From courtroom antics with orangutans to debunked conspiracy theories, the city’s past is stranger than fiction.
In 1989, entertainer Bobby Berosini faced public backlash after hidden-camera footage exposed him abusing his performing orangutans. The scandal led to his firing and a career downfall. During his defamation trial, Berosini’s legal team made headlines by bringing three of his orangutans into the courtroom as so-called character witnesses. He insisted he was an animal lover and sued PETA and other activists for damaging his reputation.
Meanwhile, another Las Vegas figure operated in the shadows. Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, a casino operator, secretly worked as an FBI informant. His intelligence helped expose the Chicago Outfit’s illegal skimming operations in Vegas casinos. Far from the Strip, the legend of Rox Morgan, the 'Cave Lady of Sunrise Mountain,' persisted for years. In the 1960s, she lived in a cave near Frenchman Mountain (locally misnamed Sunrise Mountain) while attempting to build a church on its summit. Rumours claimed Stanley Clark, a Virginia businessman, funded her stay. However, records show the LDS Church constructed a church near the summit in 1989—not Morgan. Other long-standing myths have also been put to rest. Claims about bodies buried inside Hoover Dam, casinos pumping extra oxygen to keep gamblers alert, and Howard Hughes buying a casino just to dim its sign have all been debunked.
The stories of Berosini’s courtroom spectacle, Rosenthal’s double life, and Morgan’s cave-dwelling ambitions reveal a city where fact often outshines fiction. With myths now corrected, Las Vegas history becomes clearer—but no less extraordinary. The cases and legends leave behind a legacy of legal battles, hidden deals, and enduring urban tales.
