The son of a high-rolling Malaysian poker player accused of running an illegal World Cup betting operation out of his luxury villa at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas agreed to a plea deal.
Darren Phua, 23, admitted on Friday to transmitting wagering information and will pay a USD100,000 fine and forfeit $125,000, his lawyer said in a statement. He avoids prison under the deal and will return to Malaysia. Darren’s father, Wei Seng “Paul” Phua, is the only remaining defendant in the case and is scheduled to go on trial next month.
Paul and Darren Phua were arrested last year after personnel at Caesars Palace became suspicious of the large number of computers a group of guests from Asia had set up at villas, which the hotel reserves for high-rollers who gamble more than $1 million a day. Five of the others arrested, from Hong Kong, China and Malaysia, already pleaded guilty and were allowed to leave the U.S.
“As a result of the legal successes in this case, Darren was presented with an opportunity to accept a lesser charge,” his lawyer, Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement. “While we are all confident in the strength of our case and believe we would have ultimately prevailed, this is the best outcome for Darren.”
A federal magistrate judge in Las Vegas on Jan. 30 agreed with the elder Phua that the Federal Bureau of Investigation used false and misleading information to obtain a search warrant for the villa and recommended that the U.S. be barred from using contraband found during the July raid at Caesars Palace. That recommendation is now before a district judge.
U.S. prosecutors said in a court filing Thursday that, through analysis of computers and mobile phones found at the villas, they determined that bets were being processed through the equipment in Las Vegas and that the actual funds were being transferred to accounts overseas, specifically in Southeast Asia.
If Phua, who arrived in Las Vegas from Macau in June on his $48 million private jet and who with an associate had a $60 million credit line at Caesars Palace, can convince the district judge that the government’s tactics violated his constitutional right to privacy, much of the evidence used to charge him may be thrown out. Edvard Pettersson, Bloomberg
Man dies at MGM Cotai construction site
A man has died in an occupational accident at MGM Cotai’s construction site. Authorities say that it appears a concrete pump hit the man’s head while he was pouring cement. The worker sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the public hospital. According to MGM, he “passed away while receiving treatment.”
The Labor Affairs Bureau revealed that it has instructed the contractor to stop using all crane machines until an investigation is completed and its results revealed. The bureau added that it would consider taking legal action depending on the investigation result.
Yesterday, MGM issued a statement reporting that it had begun an investigation into the incident, and is co- operating with the government’s independent investigation. “Site safety is of paramount importance to the companies and we will continuously strive to enhance occupational health and safety procedures to provide a safe work environment for all of our workers,” MGM states.
“MGM China Holdings Limited and [the] construction contractor extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to the worker and to his family. The companies are providing support to the family during this difficult period,” the gaming operator adds.
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