PJ unveils alleged criminal organization operating from VIP room
The Judiciary Police (PJ) announced yesterday that they had found and dismantled an alleged criminal organization operating through two casinos’ VIP rooms.
According to a PJ spokesperson, the PJ have received 18 complaints from victims of fraudulent operations of the organization. These claims amount to 28.6 million patacas in total value.
The PJ also said that in the ongoing investigation, the police have found proof that the illegal activities of the group, over almost two years of operations, amount to as much as HKD286.5 million and involve a total of around 200 people.
The case opened on September 29 last year when the first victim presented a complaint to a PJ investigator on duty at the casino in Cotai.
At that time, he said that he had deposited HKD157,800 in a VIP room of the casino and the room had suddenly closed so he could not retrieve his money.
After this first complaint, another 17 followed over a relatively short period, including another six people from Macau, one from Hong Kong, and 10 residents from the mainland.
According to PJ information, the 18 victims have reported lost sums ranging between HKD3,800 and HKD12.5 million.
After investigation, the PJ found that the company involved in the illegal operations was not even a legally registered gaming promoter (junket) but instead, an unlicensed organization serving as an intermediary between the alleged clients and the VIP room.
According to documents discovered in the former places of operation (two casinos in Cotai) and one office unit located in the Dynasty area in NAPE, the operation of the group dates back to October 2019 and continued until September 29, 2021.
In their searches the PJ also found a great number of documents, computers, HKD13,800 in cash, and over HKD590,000 worth of gaming chips.
While the ring leader left Macau on September 25 (four days before the first case was unveiled), the PJ managed to identify and detain two other suspects who operated as director and deputy director of the company.
Although the two have denied the accusations, the PJ said they have gathered enough evidence that both the suspects now in custody played major roles in attracting customers, luring them with the prospect of high returns in the VIP rooms.
According to two other victims, said to have invested HKD5 million each in the scheme, they were promised a 1% payout of interest per month for their investment, however this payment only lasted for the first two to three months.
The PJ is also said to have gathered enough proof that the suspects running the operations used the money they collected from the victims for their profit.
The two suspects will be transfered to the Public Prosecutions Office to be charged with high level fraud and participation in a criminal organization.
The PJ will continue to investigate the case, and have not ruled out the possibility that more victims will come forward.
