Resorts World Las Vegas casino faces complaint of money laundering activities
The Nevada Gaming Control Board says hotel executives’ failure to act created the perception that it was a place to launder illicit cash.
(FMT) – Genting Bhd and several of its subsidiary companies, including Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV), have been accused in a complaint of allowing illegal bookmakers into their Las Vegas casino to launder money.
The complaint, filed with the Nevada Gaming Commission yesterday, was brought by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB).
In the 31-page document, NGCB said its surveillance of RWLV’s Resorts World hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard found that persons with ties to illegal bookmaking, illegal gambling and organised crime had been allowed to bet at the casino, creating the perception that the hotel was a place to launder illicit cash.
Principally, the NGCB named Mathew Bowyer, who had previously pleaded guilty in a US federal court to illegal gambling and money laundering.
“Bowyer lost almost US$1.2 million over a two-month period, while Resorts World (hotel) failed to verify the source of his funds in support of such losses and while Resorts World knew, or should have known, that Bowyer was engaged in illegal bookmaking.
“Certain executives had the unilateral authority to bar, ban or otherwise restrict patrons from Resorts World.
However, despite available information, executives did not do so for Bowyer and he was allowed to continue to play and wager millions of dollars until he was banned in October 2023, the NGCB said, adding that executives failed to report Bowyer even when he made it known that he runs a book.
The NGCB said that the hotel failed to establish the source of Bowyer’s funds and failed to prevent money laundering. Meanwhile, it said the hotel was also responsible for its executives failing to report Bowyer’s criminal activities.
In the same filing, the NGCB said the hotel extended a line of credit to Edwin Ting, reportedly a member of the Taiwanchik-Trincher Organisation with links to Russian mobster Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov. It claimed Ting was allowed to bet hundreds of thousands of dollars in the casino.
In 2014, Ting pleaded guilty to a federal felony over illegal gambling with ties to organised crime, but the NGCB accused the hotel of ignoring its obligations as a licensee to perform the necessary background checks.
All suspected violations of Nevada’s gaming laws and regulations will be fully investigated and disciplinary action will be filed when warranted, NGCB chairman Kirk Hendrick told local news channel KTNV.
Meanwhile, RWLV acknowledged it was aware of NGCB’s complaint.
“We are committed to doing business with the utmost integrity and in compliance with applicable laws and industry guidelines.
We have been actively communicating with the NGCB to resolve these issues so we can move forward and focus on our guests and nearly 5,000 team members, RWLV said in a statement.
