The Gold Club

The Gold Club

Company type	Private
Industry	Adult entertainment
Founded	1987
Defunct	2001
Fate	Closed following owner's guilty plea to racketeering offenses
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia , United States
Key people	Steve Kaplan (owner), Thomas "Ziggy" Sicignano (manager)

The Gold Club was a well-known strip club situated in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, which operated from 1987 until its closure in 2001 following the owner’s guilty plea to racketeering offenses.

Operations

Positioned on Lindbergh Road, The Gold Club stood as a prominent establishment within Atlanta's adult entertainment sector. In 2001, owner Steve Kaplan underwent a 14-week trial after prosecutors accused the venue of engaging in activities such as prostitution, money laundering, bribery, and credit card fraud. Kaplan was also reportedly connected to the Gambino crime family.

Management of the club was handled by Thomas "Ziggy" Sicignano, who provided testimony for the prosecution. Kaplan’s legal defense was led by Steven Sadow, with the case being pursued under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Through a plea agreement, Kaplan conceded to racketeering charges and received a sixteen-month prison sentence from Judge Willis Hunt. The deal also mandated the club’s shutdown, completion of 400 hours of community service, and payment of a $5 million fine.

The trial involving The Gold Club attracted widespread national media coverage and was showcased in the 2001 Court TV documentary Sex, Sports & the Mob: Atlanta's Gold Club, directed by Steven Dupler. Following the club’s closure, the Atlanta City Council explored purchasing the site. Subsequently, the location was repurposed as a church before reopening in 2009 as The Gold Room nightclub.

See also

• List of strip clubs