Levo Chan Stands Firm Amidst Trial Conclusion: "Tak Chun Not Organized Crime"
A tearful Levo Chan stood before a Macau courtroom, denying allegations that his previous company, the Tak Chun Group, was linked to the underworld. On Wednesday, he also expressedly apologized to his staff, whose lives had been shaken by his trial surrounding accusations of unlawful gambling, money laundering, and the creation of a criminal alliance.
As the chairman and CEO of Tak Chun, Macau’s second-largest junket operator, Chan, until his January 2022 detention, held significant sway in Macau’s gaming sector.
Chan and his co-accused are accused of facilitating unlawful, clandestine gambling. Evidence claims it cost the Macau government at least US$62 million in unpaid taxes.
The court concluded hearings on Wednesday after a three-month trial. A decision is due on April 21. Chan maintains his innocence.
“Tak Chun isn’t a criminal syndicate and has played a vital role in Macau’s gaming industry over the years,” Chan asserted in court, as reported by Inside Asian Gaming. “I won’t say Tak Chun revolutionized Macau’s society and economy. But for more than a decade, the Macau gaming industry has influenced society and economy, and Tak Chun has been a part of that.
“We, at Tak Chun, are dedicated to the community,” he further commented.
Wiretap Testimony
Earlier in the trial, the court listened to wiretap evidence from 2018 and 2019, which prosecutors argued revealed Chan approving secret betting to an unnamed employee.
These were reportedly “multiplier bets,” private wagers with high-stakes clients where Tak Chun increased the stakes on “official” bets placed at Macau’s casinos. These bets were later settled, allegedly tax-free, according to prosecutors.
“There’s ... no foundation to suspect Tak Chun participated in these shady activities given its stable and substantial income,” Leong Hon Man, Chan’s attorney, argued in closing statements.
Police testified Tak Chun created internal training manuals teaching staff how to arrange secret betting for gamblers.
Innocent Employees
Chan defended the ex-employees of the now-defunct junkets, whom he deemed "innocent blue-collar workers."
“Many of them are the providers for their families, the responsible children of their parents,” he said. “The staff who joined Tak Chun were not gangsters. During the trial, I learnt that their families have suffered greatly, and I truly feel for them. I apologize to them.”
In January, Alvin Chau, chief of Macau’s largest junket, Suncity, received a 18-year prison sentence following his conviction on charges comparable to Chan’s.
