Alvin Chau's Request for a Reduced Prison Term Denied; Ordered to Pay Treble Compensation
Alvin Chau, a former major figure in Macau's gambling scene, recently had a legal triumph when the Court of Second Instance overturned his sentence for fraud. However, this victory was likely overshadowed by the fact that he still faces an 18-year jail term for illegal gambling and criminal association.
Chau was once one of the wealthiest individuals in Macau and was in charge of Suncity, the largest junket operator in the city. Suncity was thought to generate around a quarter of VIP revenue in the world's largest gambling center. Chau and his team were found guilty of 162 fraud charges, illegal gambling, and criminal association charges in January, along with 20 other Suncity defendants.
Much of these charges stemmed from Suncity's practice of providing "under-the-table" bets for VIP clients between 2013 and 2021. This involved multiplying stakes on official bets placed by VIP clients at Macau casinos which would later be settled tax-free.
The Collapse of a Junket Mogul
The government of Macau estimates that Suncity cost the Macau government HK$8.2 billion (US$1.1 billion) in lost tax revenue.
Suncity was also accused of operating online gambling platforms from the Philippines and Cambodia that targeted Macau and mainland China players.
In February, lawyers for Chau appealed his sentence. At the same time, Macau's Office of the Prosecutor General requested the court to extend his prison term by 3.5 years for a total of 21.5 years.
Recently, the Court of Second Instance acquitted Chau and six others of fraud charges against the Macau government but still found them guilty of criminal association. This was for the illegal operation of gambling in authorized locations (under-the-table betting) and the illicit operation of gambling outside authorized locations (online gambling).
The 'Criminal Enterprise'
The court also calculated that the "criminal enterprise" (Suncity) earned US$2.25 billion from under-the-table betting and US$950 million from illegal online gambling. Consequently, Chau and his fellow Suncity defendants are now required to pay US$3.2 billion to the Macau government.
Despite Chau's unsuccessful attempt to reduce his prison term, four other codefendants had their sentences reduced from 15 years to 12.5. These included Celestino Ali, Cheong Chi Kin, Chau Chun Hee, and Philip Wong Pak Ling.
Chau's arrest and conviction, along with that of Levo Chan, the chief of gaming diversion company Tak Chun, promoted the passing of laws to change and limit the junket industry in Macau.
In June, the Macau Professional Association of Gaming Promoters announced that only 14 licensed junkets were running in the gaming center. This number is significantly lower than the 40 licensed junkets that operated in the city during its peak in 2014.
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Source: www.casino.org
