The co-founder of the world’s largest stripping empire seemed to be living the American Dream – until he was revealed to be at the center of a murder plot.
Somin “Steve” Banerjee was an Indian immigrant who moved from Bombay to Los Angeles in the late 1960s.
He would become one of the most popular entrepreneurs in the United States after building a multi-million dollar industry.
But his good fortune wasn’t to last after his downward spiral saw him plead guilty to racketeering charges – which included planning murder and attempted arson – before finally taking his life in prison.
Somin “Steve” Banerjee was an Indian immigrant who moved from Bombay to Los Angeles in the late 1960s.
Banerjee was the co-founder of the world’s largest male stripping empire. Pictured: The Chippendales Dancers in Las Vegas in 2002
Banerjee’s name has recently returned to the limelight after the release of the true crime podcast Welcome to Your Fiction as well as a feature film simply titled Chippendales.
But the debate is now raging again ahead of the release of the TV series Secrets of the Chippendales Murders, which is due to air in the UK this evening.
Here, FEMAIL has revealed the sordid details of Banerjee’s business exploits, personal life, and long-standing legacy.
Banerjee’s business dealings lead him down a very bumpy road that ended in murder
Banerjee made his home in America in the late 1960s — and immediately began making his way.
After first getting a job as a janitor and operating two gas stations, the shy but ambitious businessman in 1975 took over a failed bar, called Destiny II, on the Westside of LA.
After unsuccessfully trying everything from magic shows to mud wrestling there, Canadian business partner Paul Snyder, who described himself as a “Jewish pimp,” suggested male strippers.
Banerjee heeded his advice and, in 1979, launched Chippendales, which was named after the 18th-century style of furniture to make it look elegant.
“Banerjee wanted club chic, and for him, chic meant white,” podcast host Natalia Petrzela previously told LA Magazine.
The Chippendales went from strength to strength and were soon earning $8 million a year in club receipts, touring companies, and calendars. Pictured: The first Chippendales Club opened in Los Angeles in 1979
The Chippendales had already suffered tragedy after Snyder shot his estranged wife, Dorothy Stratten (pictured together), with an automatic rifle before turning the gun on himself in 1908
Tragedy soon plagued the Chippendales after Snyder shot his estranged wife, Dorothy Stratten, with an automatic rifle before turning the gun on himself in 1980.
But Banerjee was apparently not bothered, and in the following year he realized that the business venture could be easily expanded.
He hired Emmy Award-winning children’s television producer Nick De Noya to choreograph the ensemble’s live performances and routines.
The business went from strength to strength and soon he was making $8 million a year in club receipts, touring companies, and Chippendales calendars.
But success begat rivals, and even from the early days of Chippendales, Banerjee had no qualms about playing dirty.
Hire thugs to burn and vandalize other rival strip clubs.
Banerjee was also tough with his lawyers, suing anyone he could find for copyright infringement, including a New Mexico DJ who, as a joke, formed a group of 16 strippers called the Chunkendales.
And things will only get worse.
Banerjee and De Noya never saw eye to eye as they were constantly arguing about money and control of the business.
Banerjee hired Emmy Award-winning producer Nick De Noya (pictured with ex-wife Jennifer O’Neill) to choreograph the band’s live performances in 1981.
De Noia was shot in the face at his office in the Chippendales in midtown Manhattan. Pictured: Police carrying his body in April 1987
Tensions would rise to the point where Banerjee eventually conspired his business partner’s death.
In 1987, he asked a “tough guy” friend from the Bronx to dump De Noia.
He mistakenly thought his friend had mafia connections and would get the job done with simple finesse, but instead he was assigned a drug-addicted amateur who walked into De Noia’s office one afternoon and shot him in the face as he sat at his desk.
But the mastermind was able to avert suspicion, and De Noia’s family later sold his stake in the business to Banerjee for $1.3 million.
After apparently getting away with murder once, he decides to go further and kill the ‘beefcake’ contest as well.
Banerjee was particularly angry with Adonis: Men Of Hollywood, a rival US act containing several ex-Chippendales that was focusing on the UK market.
In 1990, through the same friend who had arranged De Noia’s murder, he hired another amateur hitman to kill two main members of Adonis while they were performing at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Banerjee eventually planned his business partner’s death
Unfortunately for Banerjee, the would-be killer instead contacted the FBI.
He tells them he was advised to inject the targets with cyanide and was given some in a bottle of eye drops that hopefully will get through British Customs.
After killing them, he was supposed to contact his employers with a mysterious message: “I signed up for this recruiting option from the south.”
Banerjee was arrested when the conspirators were caught, and those who knew the soft-spoken family man expressed their disbelief that he would stoop to such crimes.
In a 1993 plea deal, prosecutors dropped the Blackpool-related charges against Banerjee in exchange for him admitting to planning De Noya’s murder as well as attempted arson and extortion offenses.
Prosecutors alleged that he was also plotting to kill his other business partner, attorney Bruce Nahin.
Banerjee was facing 26 years in prison plus the loss of most of his fortune, including his share of the Chippendales, when he was found dead in his cell in October 1994, having hanged himself with a sheet.
The devious businessman still finds time to own up to his personal life
Despite running a multi-million dollar business with hiring killers and plotting multiple murders, Banerjee was able to find time to build a family.
He met his future wife Irene, who worked as an accountant, through the Chippendales.
They married in the 1980s and it is believed that she stood by her husband despite adversity.
She is said to have gone so far as to arrange a set of personal witnesses for him amidst the charges in hopes of reducing his sentence.
Despite running a multi-million dollar business with hiring killers and plotting multiple murders, Banerjee was able to find time to build a family.
During their marriage, the couple had two children together – Lindsey and Christian.
Upon Banerjee’s death in 1994, Irene was left to take care of the children in addition to working – however little is known about her.
Sadly, she passed away in February 2001 after a battle with breast cancer.
After the death of their mother, Lindsey and Christian had a “tumultuous childhood” after being sent to live with their aunt in Buffalo, New York.
Despite the controversies, Banerjee’s legacy lives on in more ways than one
Although the Chippendales clubs initially closed after the deaths of De Noia and Banerjee, new owners bought out and relaunched the brand in 2000.
The dancers are now performing to a brand new crowd at the $10 million stage at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas that was built just for the band – and they continue to tour all over the world.
But it is Banerjee’s son Christian who is following in his father’s footsteps after throwing himself headfirst into the industry.
New owners relaunched the Chippendales in 2000 — and the dancers are now performing to a brand new audience at the $10 million stage at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
He started out as a personal trainer and opened a nutritional supplement store – but soon got down to business as a stripper.
Not only that, but in early 2020 he decided to launch his own company which he called The Strippendales.
He said New York Post March 2022: It wasn’t a fact that I wanted to be a stripper. It was my destiny.
It wasn’t like I saw Magic Mike and wanted to emulate what I saw. This came from a much deeper place in my soul.
Banerjee’s son Christian (R) is now following in his father’s footsteps after throwing himself headfirst into the industry
He continued, “There was no one brave enough to send male strippers. And no one invested in it like my father did.
I’ve always had this connection with my dad, even though he didn’t live, through the Chippendales.
I think he wants to push me in that direction. He wants to continue his legacy through his son.
Sister Lindsay has remained largely out of the limelight, but is believed to be working in the business and sales industries.
