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Atlanta- from www.ajc.com – The man who bought property this week from Gov. Nathan Deal [pictured] owns a chain of adult video and novelty stores in California but says he plans to open a pawnshop in Habersham County.
Steve A. Diamond of Santa Maria, Calif., is the owner of Diamond Video World, also known as Diamond Adult World, which has four locations selling sex toys, DVDS, lingerie, oils and lubricants, according to its website.
Diamond on Monday signed documents to purchase the property that formerly held a sporting goods store run by Deal’s daughter for $750,000. Deal is financing the transaction himself.
Deal’s accountant, Jimmy Allen, said he spoke with Diamond on Friday morning after reporters asked him Diamond’s business background and was assured that Diamond plans to open a pawnshop on the property, not an adult video store. Deal did not know Diamond was involved in that kind of business, Allen said.
“All I can tell you is his principal business is the pawnshop business,” Allen told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The governor’s office referred questions to Allen.
Allen said he asked Diamond specifically whether he planned to open an adult business on the property and was told “absolutely not.”
Efforts to reach Diamond were unsuccessful. A woman who answered the phone at Diamond Video World said he was out of town this week.
Allen said that Diamond, on his bank documents, said he intends to open a “large item” pawnshop, where people could sell boats, cars, trucks and guns.
“His son-in-law and daughter will be running the pawn operation,” Allen said, adding that Diamond also owns several pawnshops in California.
The Northeast Georgian newspaper of Cornelia reported Friday that Diamond’s son-in-law, Robert Cartee, will manage the pawnshop. The newspaper said Cartee is a retired film producer from California.
According to the Internet Movie Database website, “Rob” Cartee is the producer of a documentary about the horrors of pre-war Iraq as well as such titles as “From Lust Till Dawn,” “Porn-star Party” and “Motel 69.”
Efforts to reach Cartee were unsuccessful.
The sale of the property is important to Deal as the governor continues to climb out of debt. Allen said the profit from the sale will lower Deal’s overall debt to about $600,000. In 2009-2010, Deal had $2.4 million in debts, thanks in large part to the loan he guaranteed for his daughter and son-in-law to open a sporting goods store, called Wilder Outdoors, on the Habersham County property.
The store failed in 2009, costing Deal an additional $2 million in direct investment losses. When Deal’s daughter and son-in-law filed for bankruptcy, the outstanding debt transferred to Deal.
The governor’s private residence in Hall County is also for sale for just under $1 million, and Allen said Deal and his wife, Sandra, have about $800,000 in equity in the home, more than enough to wipe out the remaining debt.