Rogers' ownership a convoluted tale

Matthew Senge missed his chance to buy the property where Rogers' Christmas House sits.

Senge, 41, is at the Hernando County Jail for violating his probation. He also faces a theft charge in Alabama.

His ex-girlfriend, Karen Hyde, said Senge still owns a large stake in the Rogers' business, even though it seems impossible he will ever own the land. Senge signed a partnership contract Dec. 24 along with current owner George Rodriguez.

The two agreed to run the business together, according to the document, which Hyde provided to Hernando Today.

"When he gets out, he is still going to own 49 percent of the company and he's not giving up," Hyde said.

She said she came forward with her side of the story to quell rumors and to correct some of the misinformation previously reported in the newspaper and on television.

Hyde's own involvement with the business has a few twists and turns. On Tuesday, she was emptying a house owned by Rodriguez off South Lemon Avenue, a few blocks from the Christmas House.

She and Senge were using it as an office. Rodriguez, she said, had kicked her out. A Bright House Networks technician came by that morning to recover a cable digital box.

Hyde offered to open the tea room at Rogers' and manage it. She said she fixed a hole in the roof, hauled her own refrigerator and other furniture in the small building and painted all of the walls. She still runs it along with her mother.

There are signs posted throughout the store. Hyde, 39, is still waiting on her first paycheck, she said.

"There's no money," Hyde said. "(Rodriguez) can't pay his employees. He's in big trouble."

A call to a U.S. Department of Labor district director was left Tuesday to confirm whether any employees had filed grievances against Rodriguez, but it was not answered. A message was not returned.

Rodriguez historically has denied falling behind on his payroll. He continues to be frustrated about reports about Rogers' demise. They are false, he said.

Donna Jones purchased the business from founder Margaret "Weenie" Rogers Ghiotto in 2005 for $1.5 million. She filed for bankruptcy more than a year later. Ghiotto's surviving family members resumed control of the business in May 2008 and have continued to look for potential buyers.

George Weiland Rogers, Ghiotto's nephew, now owns the land. Rodriguez, the long-time general manager, eventually bought the store.

"He wants to sell it and he doesn't care who he sells it to," said Rodriguez, who still hopes to eventually buy Rogers' property. "He has to pay taxes. With no income, it's hard."

Rodriguez said little about Senge other than his potential real estate deal with Rogers seemed dead following his recent arrest.

Some of the provisions of the agreement include no joint accounts, evenly split profits and shared access to the accounting books.

Hyde said no money was exchanged between Senge and Rodriguez when the contract was signed. That wasn't part of the agreement.

Senge was days away from finishing the real estate deal with Rogers when he was arrested. After that happened and after reports of his criminal record came to light, nearly all of the investors bailed, Hyde said.

Senge was going to submit a down payment of $120,000, she said.

Hyde said she would grant an interview as long as there would be nothing negative printed about Senge, whom she still calls a friend.

Minutes later, she made several critical comments about her ex-boyfriend and followed them with, "you can quote me on that.

"Matthew is very guilty of not delivering everything he said he could deliver, but he still delivered a lot," Hyde said.

Among them was an increase in the number of customers. Senge had worked tirelessly to get his name out to the people of Brooksville, she said.

Senge was convicted of fraud after purchasing $1,400 in electronic equipment with a bad check.

"He thought he had the money," Hyde said.

Senge's criminal history also includes a domestic battery conviction, which stemmed from an incident against Hyde.

She downplayed it and said he smashed a phone during an argument.

Referring to earlier news reports, the two never were married and don't live together, Hyde said.

Senge has signed his name as Matthew Hyde on past documents, including a confidentiality agreement between him and Rodriguez, which Karen Hyde also provided to Hernando Today.