Leon Benzer, the accused mastermind of a massive scheme to take over homeowners associations in the Las Vegas Valley, told federal authorities nearly two years ago that he once consulted with Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto about his dealings. Benzer said Masto indicated during a “face-to face” meeting that she approved of his actions, according to a report of a 2011 debriefing authorities conducted with the former construction company boss. “Masto advised Benzer that she did not have problems with what he was doing, to which she added he had overzealous competitors,” Las Vegas police detective Robert Whiteley wrote after the meeting with Benzer. Whiteley and FBI Agent Mike Elliott are the lead agents in the long-running federal investigation into the takeover scheme, which occurred between 2003 and 2009.  Read more: