Bart Ganzel is a pimp who sought to compete with Delia Wilson. He employed Brian Cassidy as security and worked to steal most of Delia's girls.
Background[]
Bart started an escort service in 2009 in New York with the help of his attorney, Barry Querns, and eventually makes contacts in NYPD and the District Attorney's office. He eventually started competing with another pimp named Delia Wilson and started stealing some of her girls, including Delia's number one girl Carissa Gibson. When Delia sent three of her goons to intimidate Bart, Bart hired Brian Cassidy to work his personal security. He eventually started a relationship with Carissa and eventually asked her to marry him and she said yes. Over the next three years Bart continued to run his business while having a rivalry with Delia.
On SVU[]
Bart organized female entertainment for Clayton Hannigan using some of Delia's former girls. When an underage prostitute is killed at that party the police start questioning some of Bart's employees and eventually go to interview Bart himself. While Bart is partying, Brian gets a call tipping him and they both try to leave before the police show up. But they run into Detectives Rollins and Amaro at the door. Bart tries to dodge them, but when Cassidy picks a fight with Amaro Brian and Bart are arrested. Bart is held in a holding cell while he waits for his attorney and is questioned by Detectives Rollins and Tutuola. Bart denies any knowledge of Maggie and tells them none of his escorts he sent knew her, except Anya Solar, who came with Maggie. After giving Anya's description and realizing the police didn't have her, he voices his frustration. In retaliation, Bart ordered Carissa to kill the former governor Harrison Fletcher and to frame Delia and out her as a madam and discredit several officers at SVU. (SVU: "Rhodium Nights")
In a flashback, Bart received a call from Carissa after having drinks with Captain Cragen to keep him updated.
Back in the present, Bart is at his loft grieving when Carissa is found murdered. When Detectives Fin and Rollins arrive his lawyer tries to send them away but they eventually convince him to let them through. Bart tells them that he and Carissa made love the afternoon she died and claims he had no idea Carissa visited Amaro or Cragen because she was scared. He also tells them Delia is responsible for all the killings and he is innocent. (SVU: "Lost Reputation")
Ganzel later finds one of Paula's bugs at his loft and destroys it. When Brian returns to the loft, Bart points a gun at him. Brian eventually convince Bart to put the gun down, but Bart immediately asks where Brian was. Brain deflects and Bart starts acting paranoid about Delia having spies and orders Brian to search for bugs. After Brian finds them all Bart starts theorizing about who planted them, accusing Brian. After a brief argument between them they conclude they need to get ahead of this. When Tutuola and Rollins come back to his loft, Bart is dismissive and doubtful that they can get anything on Delia. When they ask to help identify some of Delia's thugs, Bart gives his permission to hand over everything they touched and eventually the thugs are I'Ded.
Bart then calls one of his police contacts, Sergeant Ted Koundak, and orders a hit on Brian Cassidy when he suspects he is undercover. When they are leaving two kids pretend to break into Bart's car. After police car arrives Brian tells them he is on the job but the officer, Ted's lover Alana Gonzalez, ignores that and shoots him twice in the chest. Brian is taken to the hospital and Bart arrives soon after feigning worry about his condition and offering the best doctors money can buy. Bart also comments that Brian is lucky to have all these people in his life. Bart starts to panic and plans to go to Israel to hide from the NYPD while his attorney chastises him for his approach in handling Brian and advises to turn himself in. Bart calls his advice stupid and threatens if he goes down, so does Barry. Detectives Tutuola and Rollins arrive to arrest him and Bart voices his contempt at them and the hooker who let them in. He tries to bribe them but they decline and Bart tries to run before being arrested.
At arraignment, he listens to Paula Foster and Barry argue over bail and the judge grants a bail of $200,000. Barry calms Bart down and is eventually released while the police tear his files apart. After Bart's bigoted remarks and Bart's plan to frame him for everything is revealed to Barry things begin to unravel as he agrees to wear a wire on him. Bart has him frisked and clears the room for them to talk and starts to complain about his employees and his ankle monitor. Barry informs Bart he can't represent him and Bart gets upset. Bart then confesses to having Brian shot and says he and Carissa were sleeping together and wonders if pillow talk is admissible. Bart then confesses he sent Carissa to drug Cragen and frame him of sleeping with her while he took pictures. Bart confesses that he killed Carissa because she confessed her love for Brian and also sent her to kill the ex-governor. Bart is later arrested when everything he said is recorded on Barry's cellphone. Delia is later arrested as well and both their businesses are terminated. (SVU: "Above Suspicion")
Bart's new attorney files a motion to have the video recording excluded as evidence based on attorney-client privilege. While Bart was in lockup, a man by the name of Bobby Navarro came to him for help in setting up Cassidy for the rape of his girlfriend Heather Riggs. Bart told him the location of a scar Cassidy had, hoping the ensuing scandal would ruin Cassidy's career and consequently have all the charges against him dropped. This however fails and Bart still remains in prison for prostitution, assault in the shooting of an undercover police officer, and two counts of first-degree murder. (SVU: "Undercover Blue")
Known Victims[]
- 2012, New York City, New York:
- May 9: Harrison Fletcher (overdosed on scopolamine and erectile dysfunction medication by Carissa Gibson)
- May 11:
- Captain Donald Cragen (had Carissa drug him and later framed him for Carissa's murder)
- Carissa Gibson (slashed her throat)
- May 19: Detective Brian Cassidy (assaulted; shot twice in the chest by Alana Gonzalez)
Appearances[]
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2 seasons, 3 episodes):