GGRAsia – MBS pays patron US$6.5mln as transfer row settled: report

MBS pays patron US$6.5mln as transfer row settled: report

Jul 20, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Singapore, Top of the deck

The firm that runs the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) casino resort (pictured) in Singapore has agreed to pay a person called Wang Xi, described as a past patron of its gaming operation, SGD9.1 million (US$6.5 million) that the complainant said had been transferred from that person’s control to others in 2015 without permission, reports Bloomberg News.

Bloomberg said on Monday, citing a person familiar with the matter, but which it did not name, that the agreement between Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd, a unit of United States-based casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp, had been made out of court. The U.S. firm is also parent to Macau casino operator Sands China Ltd.

Marina Bay Sands also agreed to allow Wang Xi back into the casino as long as that person abides by its policies, according to the unidentified source.

Claims about money transfers relating to Marina Bay Sands were made in a lawsuit lodged with the Singapore High Court last year, according to earlier reports by the business news outlet

In early June Bloomberg reported that the United States Department of Justice was looking at compliance procedures in relation to Marina Bay Sands’ anti-money laundering (AML) controls.

Marina Bay Sands had also faced questions in Singapore from the city-state’s Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) regarding the venue’s money transfer policies, the news outlet had mentioned in the early June report.

The CRA told GGRAsia in an email at that time: “CRA is committed to ensuring that the casinos in Singapore, including Marina Bay Sands, remain free from criminal influence or exploitation, and takes a serious view of any allegations of unauthorised money transfers involving the casinos.”

The newly-reported settlement of Wang Xi’s claim includes a “non-admission” of liability from both sides as part of the settlement, according to the person cited by Bloomberg.

GGRAsia approached Las Vegas Sands Corp about the reported settlement. The firm said it would not be commenting.

Singapore’s two casino venues – Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, the latter run by Genting Singapore Ltd – only reopened to selected patrons on July 1 after being closed in early April due to measures to contain the spread in Singapore of Covid-19.

(Updated July 20, 11.47am