Fraud and Manipulation in $2B Theme Park Lawsuit

A Federal Lawsuit Unveils Alleged Fraud in a $2 Billion Theme Park Project

A Branson-based entertainment mogul has filed a federal lawsuit against three men, accusing them of defrauding him out of over $60 million in the development of a theme park that was intended to be a “Disney World” equivalent in northeast Oklahoma. The case highlights a complex web of alleged deception and financial mismanagement.

The lawsuit, which spans 68 pages, was filed on July 25 in the Northern District of Oklahoma by Gene Bicknell, a 91-year-old native of Picher, against Richard M. Silanskas Jr., Larry K. Wilhite, and Stephen Hedrick. According to the complaint, the defendants operated a criminal enterprise from 2021 to 2024, defrauding Bicknell through a series of manipulative tactics.

Bicknell claims that Silanskas and Wilhite used predatory and psychological manipulation to convince him that "God himself was commanding" him to invest millions into the park’s design and construction. He also alleges that he was pressured to transfer two-thirds of the park’s ownership, which was expected to be worth $2 billion.

In July 2023, state and Vinita officials announced the ambitious project, which was set to span 1,000 acres and attract 4.9 million tourists annually. The American Heartland Theme Park and Resort was designed to resemble Magic Kingdom and Disney World. However, construction at the site, located near Vinita off historic Route 66 and Interstate 44, has been stalled for months due to liens filed by Crossland Construction and FORREC against Mansion Entertainment Group and OGB Holdings in 2024 for non-payment.

Manipulation Through Religious Messaging

To further manipulate Bicknell, Silanskas and Wilhite reportedly sent him daily devotional text messages called “Today’s Word.” These messages were crafted to appear as if they came from “God,” urging Bicknell to obey without doubt or hesitation. The lawsuit claims these tactics were part of a broader scheme to get Bicknell to fund the project.

Bicknell alleges that Silanskas and Wilhite violated the RICO Act by engaging in racketeering activity. The suit states that all three defendants inflated their expertise, qualifications, and endorsements to further their fraudulent scheme. It also claims that the group siphoned money from the project for personal use, including payments to family members and affiliated companies.

Financial Exploitation and Land Acquisitions

Bicknell began acquiring land for the theme park after being convinced by Silanskas and Wilhite that more land was needed for related developments. Over two months in spring 2022, he spent nearly $7 million to purchase more than 1,600 acres of land in Vinita. In the spring of 2023, he spent an additional $5.5 million on approximately 1,200 more acres near the planned park.

To fund these investments, Bicknell sold his properties and other personal assets, including his coin, stamp, and fine art collections. The lawsuit alleges that he also invested over $1.7 million into an animation company linked to the project.

The Defendants and Their Roles

Richard M. Silanskas, who resides in Blue Eye, Missouri, was employed as the Executive Producer of Mansion Theatre and earned a base salary of $110,000. The lawsuit claims he received $380,000 in salary payments and over $10,000 in unapproved expenses. Two companies linked to his son, Tony Silanskas, received approximately $224,000 for purported production work. Another $161,862 was paid to a vendor associated with Silanskas’s son, though the son’s name is not specified in the lawsuit.

Vincent “Vince” Silanskas, another brother, allegedly received over $4,000 for consulting work on a television special for the Mansion Theatre.

Larry K. Wilhite, a former preacher from Branson, managed the Mansion Theatre for over two decades. The lawsuit claims he received approximately $400,000 in salary payments, over $20,000 in disbursements from Bicknell’s personal bank accounts, and about $30,000 in “owner’s draws” from Big Time Productions, LLC. His company, Backstage Ministries, also received approximately $10,000 in donations during this period.

Wilhite was previously involved in two fraudulent theme park projects. In 2015, Silanskas founded DreamVision, a project aimed at building multi-billion-dollar theme parks in Fort Worth, Texas, and Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The lawsuit claims that he brought in retired Disney executive Ronald Logan and partnered with Bryan Robinson, who later faced criminal charges for securities fraud.

Stephen Hedrick, based in Prescott, Arizona, held positions such as “Vice President Project Development” and “Executive Producer.” He allegedly received $900,000 in consulting fees without providing any accounting of his work. Additionally, he received roughly $250,000 for expenses approved by Wilhite, including an apartment and office space in Los Angeles and travel to California for meetings related to the park.

Hedrick’s sons, Aaron and Nathaniel, also worked on the project, receiving approximately $260,000 and $141,000 respectively, according to the lawsuit.