Overview

• Gene Bicknell filed the suit on July 31 in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma, accusing Richard Silanskas Jr., Stephen Hedrick and Larry Wilhite of running a criminal enterprise
• The complaint claims developers used hundreds of messages posing as divine figures to prey on Bicknell’s faith and secure his investment
• The proposed $2 billion, 1,000-acre resort by former Disney Imagineers remains undeveloped beyond fencing, signage and a gravel road, and its website is offline
• Contractors and designers have submitted claims for unpaid fees after Bicknell’s late-2023 bankruptcy halted all construction
• Local officials in Vinita say they still hope the stalled project may yet deliver an economic boost despite ongoing legal battles