Somen Banerjee

Who is Somen Banerjee?

Somen "Steve" Banerjee was an Indian American entrepreneur and co-founder of Chippendales. After operating a Mobil gas station and a failed backgammon club, Banerjee bought a failed Los Angeles club named "Destiny II" and turned it into a nightclub that featured female mud wrestling and a "Female Exotic Dancing Night." It was the first of its kind in the United States. He partnered with Paul Snider and attorney Bruce Nahin.

Banerjee wanted to broaden the operation. So the idea of Chippendales was soon created and, together with Nahin and Nicolas De Noia, was expanded to New York's Club Magique, London, Hamburg, Philadelphia and Florida. Authorized shows also toured extensively in the U.S., Asia, and Europe.

Banerjee was later charged with having enlisted the aid of Ray Colon, in 1990 and 1991, to help carry out a plot to kill Michael Fullington, a former Chippendales dancer and choreographer, and two other ex-Chippendales dancers, who Banerjee felt were competition to the Chippendales franchise. He was also indicted for allegedly orchestrating the 1987 murder of his former choreographer/partner Nick De Noia. It was also alleged that it was his intent to have Nahin also murdered. He eventually pleaded guilty to attempted arson, racketeering, and murder for hire. He entered into a plea agreement that would have led to 26 years in prison, loss of his share of the Chippendales' parent company, and most of his estate.