Officers from Hong Kong Police’s organized crime and triad bureau display stacks of cash, which was seized after they launched an operation with counterparts in mainland China to smash a cross-border illegal gambling syndicate days before the start of the World Cup in Brazil
Eight people from Malaysia, China and Hong Kong were accused on Monday in Las Vegas of operating a temporary, illegal gambling ring that investigators said logged millions of dollars in bets on FIFA World Cup soccer games.
Wei Seng Phua, 50, a suspected organized crime member, and the others were named in a criminal complaint detailing the scheme to take bets through Wi-Fi and DSL lines that they had casino employees install in their suites at Caesars Palace.
According to the criminal complaint, Phua, 50, a prominent poker player and wealthy Malaysian businessman, is “known by law enforcement to be a high-ranking member of the 14K Triad,” the Hong Kong-based criminal syndicate that specializes in drug trafficking and traditional forms of criminal activity, including illegal gambling, prostitution and loan sharking. The suspect is better known by the name Paul Phua, although he was charged under the name of Wei Seng Phua.
FBI and Nevada Gaming Control Board agents made the arrests on Sunday after raids in three Caesars suites. Agents reported finding a laptop computer logging illegal wagers and other records.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said that the Las Vegas operation began shortly after Phua left Macau, where he had been arrested on June 18 and posted bail on similar allegations of illegal wagering on World Cup football games.
The complaint alleges that “following his arrest in Macau, Phua was released on bail and flew to Las Vegas in his private jet, where he and his associates are alleged to have resumed their illegal gambling at Caesars Palace.”
The Times contacted the Judiciary Police (PJ) regarding Phua’s arrest in Macau. A PJ spokesperson stated that the case was being handled by the Public Security Police (PSP). Also contacted by the Times, PSP didn’t disclose any details on the case before we went to print.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the group, which included Phua’s son Darren Wai Kit Phua, reserved three high-roller villas at the Strip resort and, at their request, were provided with an “unusually large amount of electronics equipment and technical support.”
During their arraignment, a federal judge granted a request that Phua and his son, a co-defendant, stay in the third-
party custody of a Las Vegas physician who befriended the elder Phua in the poker community while awaiting a preliminary hearing on August 4.
Phua must post USD2 million cash bail, wear a GPS monitoring device and put up his USD48 million private Gulfstream jet as collateral, among other conditions. Phua’s lawyer, David Chesnoff, argued in court that his client has the means to leave the country, but has cooperated with authorities since a raid on July 9.
“He had access to an aircraft that can fly anywhere in the world,” Chesnoff said of Phua, who has an estimated worth of as much as $400 million. “In fact, he stayed here.”
The others arrested were identified as Phua’s son, Darren Wai Kit Phua, 22, Seng Chen Yong, 56, and Wai Kin Yong, 22, all of Malaysia; Hui Tang, 44, of China; and Yan Zhang, 40, Yung Keung Fan, 46, and Herman Chun Sang Yeung, 36, all of Hong Kong.
None of the suspects entered pleas at the hearing. Bogden said that, if convicted, each could face up to two years in federal prison on an unlawful transmission count and up to five years in prison on an illegal gambling business count, as well as fines on each account of up to $250,000.
The prosecutor said that casino officials cooperated in setting up computer equipment in the three rooms, but became concerned that the arrangement, which featured multiple monitors and large television screens tuned to World Cup games, appeared to be a set-up for an illegal gambling operation.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal further reports that Paul Phua is a frequent visitor at Las Vegas poker tables. In 2012, he played in the “Big One for One Drop,” a USD1 million buy-in event that also served as a charitable fundraiser for the One Drop water awareness foundation.
According to World Series of Poker press material, Phua is “a big league investment banker from China who is one of the driving forces behind the nosebleed cash games in Macau.” MDT/Agencies
Paul Phua Aka SabahKia, is a big shareholder of Sbobet. He owns 40% of Sbo and took in profit of $30million for the year ended 2013.