Hitmen Knew Where Businessman Would Be

F O R T   L A U D E R D A L E, Fla., Feb. 8 -- Gus Boulis had been embroiled in several contentious legal disputes in recent months, including allegations the Miami Subs and SunCruz gambling cruises founder threatened and attacked a casino owner.

Now authorities are investigating whether one of Boulis' enemiesordered a hit on the 51-year-old businessman while he was drivinghis BMW on an isolated road in south Florida.

"Whoever committed the homicide had planned to shoot him,"Detective Mike Reed said. "They knew the travel routes. They knewwhat they were doing."

Reed said late Wednesday that police had no suspects but wouldseek assistance from federal authorities in investigating "anyonewho's had a past with Mr. Boulis."

Boulis was killed late Tuesday when a car suddenly stopped infront of him and a second driver pulled alongside the businessman,firing at least three or four shots, Reed said.

Boulis was hit multiple times. Before he died, he managed todrive onto a busy street, then he jumped a median and crashed intoa tree in front of a Miami Subs restaurant.

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Contentious Lawsuits

In recent months, Boulis had been involved in a series oflawsuits and countersuits over his $147.5 million sale lastSeptember of SunCruz to a group headed by Washington, D.C.,attorney Adam Kidan.

Kidan received a restraining order against Boulis in Decemberafter claiming Boulis attacked him "in the face and neck andkicked his body." A month earlier, Boulis threatened to have Kidanbeaten or killed, the affidavit said.

Federal prosecutors forced Boulis, a Greek citizen, to sell thecompany and fined him $2 million for violating a law prohibitingforeigners from owning and operating certain vessels in the UnitedStates.

Boulis filed suit recently, claiming that Kidan and his partnershad bounced checks, failed to repay $2.5 million in operating fundshe left with the company and broke a contract provision.

David Hughes, SunCruz's chief executive officer, said in astatement Wednesday that company officials were "shocked" by theslaying, and a spokesman said police had not interviewed Kidan oranyone else connected with SunCruz.