In Australia, a major scandal is unfolding at Crown Resorts, a prominent casino company.
The Australian casino powerhouse, Crown Resorts Limited, is under fire for alleged illegal business activities. Recent revelations from a year-long investigation by three major Australian newspapers - The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and 60 Minutes - accuse the company of partnering with Chinese criminal organizations to entice ultra-rich VIP players. Here's a breakdown of the situation.
Luring Wealthy Playmakers through Middlemen
On Sunday (28.07.), these three newspapers published the findings of their joint exploration into the questionable business practices of Australia's casino magnate, Crown Resorts. The accusations against the company are severe: through a controversial method, Crown is suspected of soliciting affluent VIP players from China, who within a short span of time wagered huge sums at Crown Casino Melbourne.
The primary focus of the newspapers is on thousands of hidden emails and insider information from former staff members, corroborating the alleged wrongdoing. These so-called junket operators were used for these transactions. Junket operators usually assist casinos in recruiting wealthy customers. They accompany potential gamblers on organized gambling trips and manage their funds during these excursions.
Crucially, while such activities are generally allowed in Australia, recruiting customers from countries where gambling is illegal, like China, is not. However, the majority of Chinese junket operators team up with criminal gangs, as in Crown's case. Reports also indicate that the company collaborated with an illicit Chinese association called "The Company." It supposedly infiltrated Crown Casino Melbourne under the pretext of client recruitment.
Millions in Money Laundering Unchecked
This impropriety allegedly resulted in the laundering of millions of dollars within the resort unnoticed. Both the casino's bank accounts and the high-roller rooms of the integrated casino were involved in this practice. Per Australian media, the operator "took complete responsibility" and exhibited "no shame."
The situation gets more complex: the Australian consulate responsible for issuing visas is also implicated in Crown's dubious business activities. The consulate reportedly facilitated and expedited the issuing of visas for the wealthy Chinese players. Additionally, they enabled these players to bypass standardized security checks.
Insiders Speak Out
One of the most revealing interviews with reporters was with erstwhile Crown employee Jenny Jiang. Jiang was detained alongside 18 other employees in October 2016 following months of Chinese authority surveillance. The crew was charged with illegal gambling promotions, serving one month in a Chinese prison. In China, this is viewed as a serious criminal offense. Jiang later divulged to the Australian press that at the time, Crown Resorts assured her of their purity. The management contended they had just marketed luxury stays at Australian Crown Resorts. Jiang eventually realized that these vacations were essentially intended for gambling. She said:
"Clients would lose more than 10 million dollars in just 15 to 20 minutes. It was only then that I understood what kind of job I had actually acquired. They didn't deserve an Australian license. They used us as employees and then discarded us like used paper towels."
Upon release, Crown Resorts offered Jiang a 60,000 dollar hush money check. Jiang turned down the offer and shared her story publicly. Today, she's even concerned for her safety.
Crown Stays Mum on Allegations
The billion-dollar casino corporation has yet to issue a detailed response. Most recently, majority shareholder James Packer declined to talk to 60 Minutes. Furthermore, Packer's attorney affirmed that he had no knowledge of these processes. However, a Crown representative chatted with Daily Mail Australia about money laundering and denied the allegations. They stated:
"There's currently a class action lawsuit we're fighting. Thus, we can't comment on specific matters. Crown won't comment on the subject of junket operators. However, Crown has extensive anti-money laundering measures in place, monitored by the regulatory body AUSTRAC."
It's up in the air whether this case will proceed to trial and how badly the listed company Crown Resorts will be affected. Crown made headlines last year in July over a legal spat with Sportsbet.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
