Online gambling guru jet departure to Las Vegas shrouded in mystery

Wei Seng “Paul” Phua

Malaysian businessman and alleged member of Hong Kong’s 14K triad Wei Seng “Paul” Phua was detained and released on bail in Macau last month. His departure from here in a private jet headed to the American gaming hub of Las Vegas, where he allegedly resumed illegal betting activities, remains shrouded in mystery.
Paul Phua, currently under house arrest in Las Vegas over illegal betting operations, was first detained in Macau last month. Released on bail, he soon left the territory. He has been accused of running an illegal online betting operation, which investigators say logged millions of dollars in bets on the FIFA World Cup football games.
A local lawyer consulted by the Times explained that, according to Macau’s criminal code, when criminal charges are punishable by jail sentence but suspects are released, judges often require the suspects to provide regular identity and residency details to police authorities.
Bail terms include prohibition of changing the place of residency, or leaving the territory for more than five days without notifying authorities.
Given the nature and seriousness of criminal charges in this case, the lawyer indicated that bail terms set by Macau authorities would most likely include an obligation to provide identity and residency information to the police.
Yet, Paul Phua, 50, was able to fly away in his private jet, allegedly resuming his illegal betting operation, using the suites of Caesars Palace Hotel villas in Las Vegas as a base.
“There are most likely only two options. Either he informed Macau authorities he would be changing his place of residency and leaving Macau, or he did not request authorization and, therefore, violated bail terms,” the lawyer added.
Macau police authorities did not reply to the Times’ enquiries regarding Paul Phua’s arrest in the territory, seeking clarification on whether bail terms were violated.
The Judiciary Police (PJ) indicated, however, that bail conditions aren’t under their responsibility, and, therefore, they were not in a position to answer our questions.
The Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) guaranteed that passengers boarding private jets are always required to go through immigration procedures.
Many flying on private airplanes use Macau Business Aviation Center, located next to the airport’s main entrance.
“Sometimes they don’t have to go through the airport, but inside the business aviation center, there’s an immigration department, too,” CAM told the Times.
CAM said that any further questions on how Paul Phua left Macau were to be referred to the Immigration Department of the Macau SAR government.
The Sunday Morning Post recently reported that Paul Phua is a former Macau junket promoter, and that MGM China requested for the MSAR’s government to cancel Phua’s Star 888 license after his arrest.
Gaming sources told the Hong Kong newspaper that he was arrested at Wynn resort in Macau –
hours after he had arrived in the territory in his private jet. Police authorities had launched a raid seizing about HKD5 billion in illegal bets.
He was arrested alongside other suspects from Malaysia, China and Hong Kong.
According to US Attorney Daniel Bogden, the Las Vegas operation began shortly after Phua left Macau, where he had been detained on June 18, and had posted bail on similar allegations of illegal wagering on World Cup football games.
On July 9, US federal police searched three villas at Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas, uncovering Paul Phua and his son Darren, amid a total of eight group members, allegedly running a betting operation.
AP reported that, following their arrest, poker professional Andrew Robl and ten-time World Series Poker Champion Phil Ivey posted a combined USD2.5 million bail to secure Phua’s release.
Father and son were told that, once they posted bail, they would have to wear GPS monitoring devices, as well as surrender their passports and put up a USD48 million private Gulfstream jet as collateral, among other conditions.
They would later be arrested again, remaining in custody of federal immigration officials until late Monday.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took them into custody for possible deportation. It remains unclear to where they would be deported.
It also remains unclear whether Phua violated bail terms in Macau. However, since the US and the MSAR do not hold extradition agreements, it is unlikely that he would be deported to the territory, a local lawyer told the Times.
On July 14, a federal judge granted the father and son’s request to stay with a Las Vegas doctor and poker enthusiast until a preliminary hearing takes place on August 4.