A silver-tongued devil or victim of the Great Recession?
Hugh Dudley Evans, aka “Chip Evans”, a once powerful Harry Reid back political hopeful, and a failed real estate developer, was so beloved that even Edwin Lyngar took the time to defend him in a Reno-Gazette Journal op-ed.
As told in the 2019 Jim Rossi book, Cleantech Con Artists, Chip Evans amassed a mountain of debt and filed a bankruptcy in the Reno Federal Court. While bankruptcy alone isn’t much of a story, especially following the Great Recession, this is a tale of an extraordinary filing and of a man still embroiled in local politics.
According to Rossi, Edwin Lyngar who is coincidentally running for Washoe County Commissioner in 2022, penned an op-ed in the Reno Gazette Journal about Evans, saying he was “earnest to a fault” and “almost too nice.” (Remind us to dismiss Lyngars assessment of character in the future.) He wasn’t the only Democrat powerhouse to come to Evans aid, as Chris Wikcer, who as both an attorney and former head of the Washoe County Democrat party, threatened to sue Evans opponent in 2016, none other than Mike Clark. As our readers will recall, Mike Clark is the elected assessor and now finalist for the County Commission seat held by Bob Lucey. Much as the 2022 race between Clark and Lucey heated up, so had the race between Clark and Evans in 2018. Of course, Clark would prevail, handing Evans his second loss in two years.
In November 2011, Chip Evans filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, listing nearly $11 million in debts. The “personal” bankruptcy filing, included nearly $8 million in unpaid loans from banks and $1.5 million in private investments. These “private investors” apparently thought they were investing a real estate development plan and ended up losing their investment to Evans. Was Evans a worthy investment option or did he simply bilk these investors out of millions that would never be repaid? Not to mention, Evans amassed over $250,000.00 in credit card debts and somehow obtained a $5.5 million dollar signature loan. All of these debts were washed away in federal court, with Evans repaying about $1300.00 to nearly 100 people and entities.
In reviewing the bankruptcy filings, apparently Evans had only $640.00 in cash to his name and a total of $18,980.52 in total value of property he owned. By any measure, a stunning fall from grace.
Today, Chip Evans remains busy on social media, defending Democrat candidates in Washoe County. He is the principal in the Evans Consulting Group, according to his Linkedin page. Evans is also a Democrat Central Committee member in Washoe County.
Bankrupt Doc ORC by Picon Press Media LLC on Scribd