Suncity’s Chau, co-defendants to pay HKD25 billion to gov’t

The Court of Final Appeal has dismissed appeals of the Suncity co-defendants, including former junket mogul Alvin Chau.

Chau’s sentence of 18 years’ imprisonment remains unchanged, marking the official closure of a landmark case that initiated the crackdown on junkets in the SAR.

In a statement, the Office of the President of the Court of Final Appeal said other co-defendants including Si Tou Chi Hou and Cheung Yat Ping Ellute were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while Ali Celestino and Cheong Chi Kin, were sentenced to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment.

Chau Chun Hee, Lou Seak Fong, Wong Pak Ling Philip and Leong Su Weng were also sentenced between nine years’ to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment.

Chau was accused of making HKD17.66 billion and HKD7.2 billion from parallel betting as well as telephone and online betting.

He and two co-defendants had made about HKD616.97 million and RMB17 million in profit from money laundering.

Late last year, the middle court also ruled Chau and eight co-defendants must pay the government, jointly, for the amounts.

The management of the parallel betting companies held by Chau should also compensate the government for proceeds of parallel betting, jointly and severally.

In a statement yesterday, the final court maintained that all defendants should pay the Macau government “HKD24.865.076.093,70, which is the total value of the illicit proceeds obtained through the illicit exploitation of gambling.”

Chau, the boss of the former casino intermediary, Suncity, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for illegal gambling, running a triad and for major fraud, among other charges in January 2023.

Chau was charged with 289 allegations, of which 229 concern operating illicit gambling in authorized venues.

The court convicted him of 103 of the 229 allegations.

The remaining 126 charges were dropped due to the statute of limitations.

Chau was found guilty on 59 other charges and was cleared of the charge related to money laundering.

Following the convictions, Chau has made multiple appeals.