The dark, violent history behind the world's most famous male dance troupe
In short: Before it became a global brand synonymous with bow ties and cuffs, the Chippendales empire was built on a foundation of ambition, arson, and murder. The story of its founder, Somen Banerjee, is a chilling descent from nightclub success to a desperate, criminal campaign against his own business rivals.
In 1975, Indian American entrepreneur Somen Banerjee purchased a struggling West Los Angeles bar, Destiny II. By 1979, he partnered with lawyer Bruce Nahin to rebrand the venue as Chippendales, launching a pioneering all-male striptease show tailored for female audiences. The concept was an immediate sensation, expanding into a massive enterprise with clubs in New York, Dallas, and Denver, alongside touring troupes across the United States and Europe.
As competitors emerged, Banerjee’s initial success curdled into paranoia. He attempted to burn down at least three rival nightclubs to protect his market share. The violence escalated in 1987 when he orchestrated the assassination of his business partner, Nick De Noia. Banerjee recruited an associate, Ray Colon, who then hired a hitman named Gilbert Rivera Lopez to carry out the killing. Banerjee also plotted the murders of two other former associates.
The law eventually caught up with Banerjee in 1993. He was arrested on charges including racketeering, arson, and murder-for-hire. After entering a plea bargain that resulted in a 26-year prison sentence, he died by suicide in his cell one year later. Despite this grim history, the brand endured, maintaining its presence in Las Vegas and continuing to defend its signature "Cuffs and Collar" uniform in legal battles, even after courts noted the aesthetic was inspired by Playboy Bunny costumes.
The troupe’s cultural footprint remains vast, influencing everything from the 1990 Saturday Night Live "Chippendales Audition" sketch to the 1997 film The Full Monty. The saga of Banerjee’s rise and fall has been documented in numerous true crime series, books, and the 2022 Hulu miniseries Welcome to Chippendales. Today, the company continues to operate, having even adapted its performances into workout videos during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Chippendales
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