LV Sands 'linkedto Macau gang'
SAN FRANCISCO - A news report out of the United States and Macau has alleged that previously undisclosed court transcripts from Hong Kong have linked global gaming company Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to members of organised crime in Macau.
According to the Reuters report, a Hong Kong jury had convicted four men last autumn of conspiracy to commit bodily harm and a fifth of soliciting the murder of a dealer at Macau Sands, the LVS-run casino. The dealer was suspected of helping a patron cheat the casino of millions of dollars.
Testimony at the trial reportedly said that Cheung Chi Tai, an alleged leader of the Wo Hop To organised crime group, was behind the murder plot. The report went on to say that a witness also testified that Cheung was in charge of a VIP room at Sands Macau.
Cheung is a major investor in the Neptune Group, a casino junket used to bring wealthy clients to the region's gambling halls, allowing him a share of profits from the VIP rooms.
The reporters did not disclose their sources but said that Nevada gaming officials were monitoring the situation, adding that it "would be of concern to the Nevada authorities" as Nevada gaming laws prohibit "unsuitable" associations that "discredit" its gaming industry.
Responding to the report, LVS said in a statement, "to our knowledge, Mr Cheung Chi Tai is not listed as a director or shareholder with any of the gaming promoters the company uses in Macau".
LVS is scheduled to open its US$5.5 billion ($7.7 billion) Marina Bay Sands integrated resort on April 27.
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