scott burke yacht

• Updated Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

Retired doc busted with drugs, guns and women aboard 80-foot party yacht off Nantucket has terminal cancer

Possible overdose victim was crew member, not prostitute, lawyer says.

Coast Guard rescues 3 people off Nantucket

Coast Guard crews responded to the sinking of a fishing vessel.

Florida Dr. Scott Anthony Burke, the 69-year-old yachtsman who police say they busted with more than 40 grams of cocaine and 14 grams of ketamine last week, was holding a party on board a boat last week as he faces terminal cancer, according to his lawyer.

"To have this man potentially spend the rest of his life waiting for a case in jail, to me, would be very, very tragic," the lawyer said, in reference to his client's illness.

Burke is facing drug and gun charges after police boarded his vessel last week in response to a report of a woman possibly overdosing. In the bedroom with the woman, they found cocaine and a pistol, and a search warrant allegedly turned up a substantial amount of drugs and another gun which the doctor didn't have a license for. 

His attorney Henry Brennan told the Nantucket Current that additional allegations from an anonymous law enforcement source that prostitutes were on board is "disgusting" slander.

FLORIDA MAN BUSTED WITH GUNS, DRUGS AND ‘PROSTITUTES’ IN LUXE NANTUCKET YACHT RAID

Police searched the 80-foot Nordhavn yacht Jess Conn Tuesday, Sept. 5, and allegedly recovered a stash of cocaine in a safe, ketamine and unlicensed handguns. Its owner, Dr. Scott Burke, was arrested. (@kitnoble/@nantucketcurrent, Inset: Scott Burke/LinkedIn)

The woman on board was a friend of Burke's hired captain, Brennan told the paper, and a staff member.

"There was a party on the boat, and [Burke] was spending time with friends," he said. "As we suggested, the boat is large. He has a captain. He has staff. There was a cook. And sometimes there are people who serve as staff waiters, cleaners and things like that."

Police responded to Burke's boat, the Jess Conn, last Tuesday after an unidentified reporting party called their non-emergency dispatch line. Burke's 80-foot Nordhavn trawler has been visible in Nantucket Harbor for days after his arrest.

When first responders arrived in the master bedroom to look at the victim, they spotted a bag of cocaine on the nightstand and a loaded pistol on a bookshelf, according to the incident report.

Scott Anthony Burke is held on bail in Plymouth District Court by Judge James Sullivan. The retired Florida surgeon is facing gun and drug charges, related to an incident on his yacht. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

After obtaining a search warrant, police went back and say they recovered 43.4 grams of cocaine and 14.1 grams of ketamine.

Neither Burke nor his attorney could immediately be reached for comment.

The doctor was one of the first international doctors to reach Haiti in 2010 following a devastating earthquake and performed more than 100 surgeries there, his lawyer told the judge at his bail hearing, according to the Current.

BEACHGOERS ON EDGE AS SHARKS SEEN PROWLING IN BLOOD-RED WATERS: VIDEO

Dr. Scott Anthony Burke, right, poses with his family on the back of his luxury yacht, the Jess Conn. (Tony Burkenstock/Facebook)

A source close to the investigation reportedly told the Nantucket Current that authorities also encountered prostitutes on board, but police have not confirmed that claim, and court records do not show any prostitution-related charges against Burke.

"That's certainly not in my press release," Lt. Angus MacVicar, the Nantucket Police Department's public information officer, told Fox News Digital.

Burke allegedly told police he had a license for the handguns — but police said his Florida license was not only invalid in Massachusetts, it expired last year. He now faces a dozen gun and drug charges and was released on $200,000 bail.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

Public records show Burke obtained his medical license in Colorado in 1981. It was last renewed in 2019. He has owned at least two other large vessels over the years, 90 and 58 feet long, also named Jess Conn. 

According to his LinkedIn profile, Burke also founded a medical lien service firm called Injury Finance in 2003 and as a physician specialized in spine rehab and pain. His bio said he retired from active medical practice.

The investigation remains ongoing, but police declined to comment on potential additional charges.

The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.

By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use , and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!

Guns, Drugs, And Prostitutes: Police Raid Yacht In Nantucket Harbor

Jason Graziadei and David Creed • Sep 05, 2023

A 70-foot motor yacht anchored in Nantucket Harbor was raided by Nantucket Police and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Tuesday after a woman was evacuated from the vessel and taken to an ambulance waiting at the town pier.

The owner of the yacht, a retired physician, has been arrested and sources with knowledge of the investigation told the Current that authorities discovered guns, drugs, and prostitutes aboard the vessel.

The motor yacht Jess Conn , out of Georgetown in the Cayman Islands, was anchored in the horse shed area of Nantucket Harbor Tuesday morning when the woman was taken off the boat with the assistance of Nantucket Harbormaster Sheila Lucey and Nantucket Fire Department EMTs. The vessel was later boarded by personnel from U.S. Coast Guard Station Brant Point and a DEA special agent, who were assisting the Nantucket Police Department with the ongoing investigation

The owner of the yacht, Scott Anthony Burke, 69, of Key Largo, Fla., was taken into custody Tuesday morning and is now facing drug trafficking and weapons charges related to the incident and subsequent search of the yacht. He will be arraigned in Nantucket District Court on Monday, Sept. 11.

The initial response to the vessel was due to a "report of a female party, on board a yacht, who did not want to be there, was under the influence of narcotics, and possibly has overdosed," according to a police report.

Investigators, including a DEA special agent, boarded and searched the Jess Conn at 3:25 p.m., according to court documents obtained by the Current . They confiscated 43.4 grams of cocaine, 14.1 grams of ketamine, and two pistols - a .380 Smith  Wesson Shield and a 9mm Smith & Wesson - along with various ammunition.

After being read his Miranda rights following the initial boarding of the vessel Tuesday morning, Burke told police he was the owner of the boat, that the pistols belonged to him, and that he had a license to carry firearms. Police determined that Burke had a license to carry in Florida which had expired in September 2022. 

On Wednesday morning, Nantucket Police Department Lt. AngusMacVicar shared a press release that stated Burke was initially charged with two counts of possession of a firearm without a license before the search of the yacht resulted in additional charges against him.

"The Nantucket Police Department and the DEA Cape Cod Resident Office continued an investigation and Burke was additionally charged with 1 count of Trafficking in Class B, 1 count of Possession to Distribute Class A, 1 count of Possession of a Firearm without a License, 1 count of Possession of Ammunition without a License and 4 Counts of Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device," the press released stated. "This case remains under investigation at this time."

Burke is a retired physician who practiced in Colorado and founded Denver Spine and Rehab. He is currently is the CEO of Injury Finance, LLC, which provides medical lien services for third-party liability claims.

Harbormaster Sheila Lucey said the initial call Tuesday morning was for a “wellness check” on a woman, but she declined to share any further details.

Coast Guard Station Brant Point’s executive petty officer Jeff Wecal said his crew was involved in assisting the Nantucket Police Department’s investigation and referred all inquiries to NPD.

The Jess Conn arrived in Nantucket Harbor on Aug. 23 after a voyage from Newport, Rhode Island.

The yacht was recently photographed by PowerYachtBlog.com  after it ran aground in May in Florida, but escaped without significant damage.

Stay tuned for more on this developing story.

The Nantucket Police Department issued the following press release about the investigation and charges Wednesday morning:

The Nordhavn 80 yacht was built in China and completed in 2021 . See a video tour of the vessel below:

Current News

Trump Handed Another Victory in Georgia Election Case

FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT

A judge dismissed another three counts as the former president’s defense continues to chip away at the case.

Alaska airlines pilots slam on brakes to avoid takeoff crash, alaska airlines flight 369 had reached 119 miles per hour on its takeoff roll before aborting to avoid a potential collision., prince harry sends out a message for his 40th birthday, “whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world,” prince harry said in a statement to the bbc., the rock shares his ‘adult’ party trick involving grapes, dwayne johnson lends his voice to the upcoming film “moana 2,” a sequel to the 2016 hit., walz rally crowd mocks maga conspiracy: ‘not eating cats’, “you mess with cat people, and you will find out,” the democratic vice presidential nominee warned., britain’s 11-year-old prince george is taking flying lessons.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Last week, Prince George took his first flight with an instructor.

Trump’s golf club hosted events featuring ‘nazi sympathizer’.

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...

A man convicted for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots spoke at two events at the former president’s Bedminster, New Jersey club this summer, according to a report.

Nikki bella wants custody of son in divorce from ‘dwts’ star.

DIVORCE DRAMA

Their divorce comes after Artem Chigvintsev’s August domestic violence arrest.

Yacht doc caught partying with prostitutes, guns has terminal cancer: lawyer.

‘VERY, VERY TRAGIC’

AJ McDougall

Breaking News Reporter

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

The retired doctor who was arrested after police found drugs, guns, and alleged sex workers on his 80-foot yacht in Nantucket Harbor last week has late-stage cancer, his attorney said in a recent hearing. A judge ruled last Thursday that Scott Burke , 69, was not a danger to the community, and would not be held in what might have been a lengthy pre-trial detention. His lawyer, Henry Brennan, had argued before the judge that Burke—who he said is afflicted with stage-4 terminal cancer—does not have long to live. “To have this man potentially spend the rest of his life waiting for a case in jail, to me, would be very, very tragic,” Brennan said, according to the Nantucket Current . The attorney did not say what kind of cancer Burke is battling. A harbor captain told the New York Post that he had given a lift to two people delivering what he called “cancer medication” to Burke’s yacht last Wednesday, the day after his arrest. The pair seemed to return with “more stuff than they went out with,” the captain said, without elaborating.

CEO Arrested On Luxury Yacht After Woman Told Police She Did Not Feel Safe Onboard

Crime fellow

A CEO of a Colorado-based medical insurance company was arrested on his 70-foot yacht in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on suspicion of gun and drug charges after police responded to a report of a distressed woman.

Scott Burke, 69, was arrested onboard his vessel Wednesday morning after a woman who “possibly overdosed” called police to say she “did not want to be there,” according to court documents obtained by HuffPost. He faces 10 charges, including possessing a firearm without a license and drug trafficking, police said.

According to the Boston Globe, Burke pleaded not guilty and is being held on $200,000 bail.

According to the charging document, Burke greeted officers who arrived to his yacht and led them into his bedroom, where officers found the woman, who appeared to be under the influence and told officers she “did not feel safe.”

The woman was taken to local hospital for treatment.

Police said they discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun in plain view along with a pink plastic bag containing a white substance they believed was cocaine.

Burke allegedly told officers that there was a second firearm on top of a bookshelf, adding that he had a license to carry. Further investigation found that his license expired last year, police said.

Investigators who then searched the vessel found approximately 43.4 grams of cocaine along with 14.1 grams of ketamine and assorted ammunition, authorities said.

According to Burke’s LinkedIn profile, he retired from his Denver-based physical rehab practice, which he founded in 1985. He later founded and became CEO of a chain injury insurance company that provides medical lien services for third-party liability claims.

Burke’s firm did not respond to a HuffPost request for comment.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

From Our Partner

More in crime.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Climate 100
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Wine Offers
• Betting Sites

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Doctor arrested after police find guns, drugs and prostitutes in raid of yacht at Nantucket Harbor

Scott burke, 69, faces drug trafficking and weapons charges after arrest, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the us, thanks for signing up to the evening headlines email.

A doctor was arrested after police found guns, drugs and prostitutes aboard a 70ft motor yacht anchored at a small island of Massachusetts .

The yacht Jess Conn, which is out of Georgetown in the Cayman Islands, was raided in Nantucket Harbor after a woman was evacuated from it and taken to a waiting ambulance.

The vessel’s owner Scott Burke, 69, was taken into custody after the raid by Nantucket Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Mr Burke, of Key Largo, Florida , faces drug trafficking and weapons charges and is set to be arraigned in Nantucket District Court on 11 September, reported The Nantucket Current.

He is a retired physician who worked in Colorado and founded Denver Spine and Rehab, according to the newspaper.

He is now the CEO of Injury Finance LLC, a company “that offers personal injury victims lien access to our comprehensive network of medical providers.”

Harbormaster Sheila Lucey said that the alarm was raised after a “wellness check” was performed on a woman on Tuesday morning.

The yacht reportedly arrived in Nantucket Harbor on 23 August after a journey from Newport, Rhode Island.

It was featured in PowerYachtBlog.com after it ran aground in Ocean Reef in the Florida Keys in May.

Nantucket Police Department say that Mr Burke was initially charged with two counts of possession of a firearm without a license.

After the search of the yacht, he was charged with additional drugs and firearm offences.

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

BRIGGS CUNNINGHAM: American Racing Tradition TALE OF AN AMERICAN SPORTSMAN

The america's cup, the america’s cup – 1958, text by kane rogers.

View photographer Cory Silken’s “Yacht Columbia – America’s Cup Winner 1958” gallery here .

Click here to read “The America’s Cup: An Insider’s View,” by Bob Bavier.

Prior to 1958, the last defense of the America’s Cup had been in 1937, by the J-Class yacht Ranger , owned by Harold S. “Mike” Vanderbilt. The J-Class rules prescribing a vessel of some 120 feet in length were promoted by Vanderbilt and others for the defense planned for 1958, but economic concerns and the desire among aspiring competitors to employ smaller dual-purpose yachts won the day. The New York Yacht Club settled on the twelve-meter class rules, reducing the length of the average vessel to around sixty-five feet. Harry Sears, then the club’s commodore, formed a syndicate to build the ship and asked Briggs to join to help with finances.

Although building and racing his cars had long been Briggs’ primary field of endeavor, he had never stopped sailing, and he agreed to join the effort. Sailing legend Cornelius Shields was appointed as the team’s skipper but, when he suffered a heart attack, Sears asked Cunningham to take Shields’ place.

As a member of five East Coast yacht clubs, with almost thirty years’ experience racing several different classes of vessel, Briggs was a solid choice to lead. The one thing he lacked was experience with the starting strategy required by the head-to-head style of America’s Cup competition. Shields, a master of this type of racing, was happy to impart his knowledge to Cunningham, who proved an able student.

Unfortunately, as skipper it was Briggs who had to inform Shields that he could not remain a member of the crew; if he suffered an attack during competition and had to be taken to the hospital, it would leave them a man short and result in their disqualification. It was a tough moment for both men, but it was also characteristic of both to do what was best for the team.

The eliminations for the American side would prove to be more exciting than the final races. Four twelve-metre yachts, Easterner , Weatherly , Vim and Columbia , survived two months of run-offs to compete in the final eight-day round of match races to determine the defender of the America’s Cup. Of the four contenders, only the Vim had raced previously, but the nineteen-year-old vessel was so completely refitted as to be virtually brand new. The Easterner and Weatherly had been hurriedly completed and neither was fully prepared to compete, although the Weatherly would successfully defend the Cup in 1962.

Columbia benefited from a strong syndicate whose membership included Harry Sears, Olin Stephens, the designer of the Vim , and Cornelius Shields, Jr., who occasionally spelled Briggs as skipper. The competition finally narrowed to Vim and Columbia , which prevailed by virtue of her ability to better handle rough seas and strong winds.

The British challenger, Sceptre , entered by the Royal Yacht Squadron and skippered by Graham Mann, was a quite rotund 68,000 pounds compared to the svelte Columbia at 57,000 pounds, and the event was decided in four straight wins by the Americans.

During the post-race celebrations, Briggs located a pay phone and called Alfred Momo at Watkins Glen, where Ed Crawford had just won the main race. As Briggs was returning to join his crew, a reporter approached and commented, “Briggs, that was a fine race!” to which Briggs, still with the Glen on his mind, replied, “That’s what I just heard. I wish I could have seen it.”

Website Disclaimer

Please read the disclaimer prior to entering this website. You may access it by clicking here .

Rapper Travis Scott arrested in Miami after police say he drunkenly yelled at people on a yacht

After his arrest, the artist “admitted that he had been drinking alcohol and stated ‘it’s miami,’" according to police, by briana trujillo and lorena inclán • published june 20, 2024 • updated on june 21, 2024 at 6:58 am.

Rapper Travis Scott was arrested early Thursday morning in Miami Beach after allegedly yelling at people on a yacht and admitting he had been drinking, telling officers "It's Miami," authorities said. 

Scott, whose real name is Jacques Bermon Webster II, was charged with trespassing on property and disorderly intoxication, Miami-Dade jail records showed. He later posted bond, which was set at $650.

According to an arrest report, officers responded to 300 Alton Road dock D for a disturbance on one of the yachts. Scott was allegedly yelling at occupants of the vessel from the dock. 

24/7 New York news stream: Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are

Officers said they told him to sit, but he kept standing up. Authorities told him to leave or be arrested, the report said. 

The complainant reportedly did not want to press charges, but did want the rapper off of the vessel.

Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.

“Throughout the long walk from the vessel to the boardwalk, the defendant walked backwards yelling obscenities to the occupants of the vessel,” authorities said. 

Entertainment News

Shannon Sharpe apologizes after he mistakenly broadcasts audio of sex act on Instagram Live

Justin Timberlake expected to plead guilty to impaired driving in New York

When Scott made it back to a vehicle that was waiting for him, he allegedly "told one of his security personnel to get out of the vehicle. The defendant then stated to officers, 'If he gets in the vehicle he's gonna catch a fade,' which is slang for fighting," police said.

Eventually, he did leave the marina in a vehicle, but returned five minutes later, bypassing officers in the parking lot and making his way toward the yacht, according to the arrest report. 

Police said when Scott started speaking to officers, he began yelling, “becoming erratic, disturbing the peace of the occupants of the marina and nearby residential buildings causing a public disturbance.”

Scott, 33, was arrested and later “admitted that he had been drinking alcohol and stated ‘It’s Miami,’" according to police.

At 8:45 a.m., the rapper seemed to joke about the arrest, tweeting, "Lol." He also later shared an edited photo of his mugshot on his Instagram story, adding sunglasses and ear buds.

Lol — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) June 20, 2024

Scott's publicist did not respond to NBC Miami's request for comment.

Scott shares two children with influencer, business woman and the youngest of the famous Kardashian-Jenner siblings Kylie Jenner.

He is eight days away from his European tour , Circus Maximus, which is set to begin at the GelreDome in Arnhem, Netherlands on June 28.

In 2021, the native of Houston, Texas, faced serious scrutiny for the  tragedy at his Astroworld Festival , which left 10 people dead. He settled the last of the wrongful death lawsuits against him in May, according to the Houston Chronicle, which cited the lawyer for the youngest victim, 9-year-old Ezra Blount.

Scott later announced the launch of  Project HEAL , a "multi-tier initiative dedicated to addressing challenges facing today's youth, especially those from marginalized and at-risk communities."

This article tagged under:

latest in US News

Frontier passenger allegedly choked flight attendant, screamed...

Don Lemon slammed for mocking Melania Trump after she shared...

How this infamous migrant gang became a vicious criminal force...

Justin Timberlake expected to accept plea deal Friday in DWI case...

Kamala Harris did not receive debate questions in advance, ABC...

John Legend gets involved in Springfield migrant crisis after ...

Springfield mayor says Ohio town is overwhelmed by migrant crisis...

Colorado mass shooting survivor testifies the gunman repeated...

Party yacht doc scott burke — who was busted on boat with guns, drugs and ‘prostitutes’ — lives in this ultra-exclusive florida enclave.

The retired doctor who was busted on his yacht this week with guns, drugs and alleged prostitutes onboard lives a life of heavily guarded opulence inside a private Key Largo enclave.

Scott Burke, 69, resides in the ultra-exclusive Ocean Reef Club, where members who shell out tens of millions of dollars for splendorous waterfront homes are assured that “prying eyes” aren’t tolerated.

“One of the great features of a private club such as Ocean Reef is the privacy,” reads its website. “Many of our members can come with their family and feel that they are home, away from prying eyes and curious onlookers.”

Locals said members seclude themselves in the enclave and are shielded from the world beyond its fortified gates.

“They have more money than freaking God out there and they act like they can do whatever they want,” a longtime local resident familiar with the Ocean Reef Club’s operations told The Post.

“It’s like millionaires row … People come down here and they think there are no rules so they do stupid s–t,” the source added.

Married father of two Burke’s cordon of privacy was abruptly trampled in the distant waters of Nantucket Harbor last Wednesday when police boarded his 82-foot vessel, the Jess Conn, after a woman called police and said she was overdosing on drugs and wanted off the boat.

Responding officers found several guns onboard — along with cocaine, ketamine and prostitutes, according to reports.

Burke was arrested and is facing several criminal charges in Plymouth District Court.

Key Largo locals said Burke had likely become accustomed to near-invisibility in his Florida community, where entrants are subject to stringent security screening.

“You have to get your fingerprints taken there,” said a local worker. “It’s too much.”

Featuring a private airport — along with a marina and three “championship” golf course — Ocean Reef attracts the global elite from Kuwait to New York City, sources told The Post.

“That’s a secluded place,” the boat mechanic said. “I can’t go there even if the owner invites me to go to the bar because of the regulations of the club. If you don’t live there, then forget it.”

He noted that a lot of “strange people” reside in the community.

“You don’t see families living there,” he said. “You see guys like that — people with private jets. They party for a week, then go away.”

Gaining clearance, he said, can sometimes take a full week — and visitors are escorted from the entrance to their destinations by security.

“The way they’re protected, nobody can just knock on your door,” he said. “There are no surprises.”

A Post reporter who requested access to the community was told to take a long walk off a short pier.

“So unfortunately they’re not expecting you,” he was told. “Even though I called them for clearance, they do no want you coming on the property.”

The mechanic said he had long suspected club residents of conducting questionable activities behind their insular walls, though he has no evidence of any specific wrongdoing.

“I’m not surprised at all,” he said. “I know something is fishy there. If you ask anyone around, you know something is fishy there.”

The cloistered luxuries of the Ocean Reef Club command a high price.

A six-bed, 10-bath Ocean Reef home is on the market for $35 million. 

Burke’s property in the enclave is also an address listed for his wife, Ellen, and adult children Jessica and Connor.

The family also have a home in Englewood, Colorado.

“Ocean Reef Club offers rich traditions that span generations and a membership that has always attracted entrepreneurs that value spending time with family,” a Sotheby’s website boasts. 

A request for comment from the Ocean Reef Club was not immediately returned.

Burke pleaded not guilty to gun possession and drug raps at a hearing this week, the Boston Globe reported.

It was unclear if he has since posted bail.

Records show he was first licensed to practice medicine in Colorado in 1981, and that his license expired in 2021, at which point he is thought to have retired.

Previously, Burke operated a spine and rehabilitation clinic and established a medical insurance company roughly two decades ago, according to the Boston Globe.

The outlet also reported that his 2021 Nordhvn yacht first arrived in Nantucket on Aug. 23 from Newport and is registered in the Cayman Islands.

Advertisement