One Crown Resorts worker held in China released: firm

Nov 14, 2016 Newsdesk Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck, World  

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One of the people working for Australian casino operator Crown Resorts Ltd that had been detained in mainland China has been released on bail, according to a Friday report by the Australian Financial Review.

The media outlet stated that Jenny Jiang, employed in Shanghai as an administrator for the casino firm, was released on bail on Thursday.

On Sunday, Reuters reported that Crown Resorts – which has its flagship Australian property at Crown Melbourne (pictured), in Melbourne, Victoria – had confirmed that one of its staff members detained in mainland China in October had been released, but the casino operator did not provide a name. Reuters said the firm gave no details on the other employees said to have been detained at the same time as Ms Jiang.

A total of 18 individuals linked to Crown Resorts were reportedly detained in mainland China in mid-October in connection with alleged “gambling crimes”.

Several investment analysts stated in notes commenting on the case that the detentions were connected to marketing activities – for the recruitment by Crown Resorts in mainland China – of high-value players. The company has not commented on the work of the people detained.

Some days after the original 18 were held, an additional 10 people were also detained in mainland China in connection with the case, reported The Australian newspaper on October 26. This second round of arrests was believed to be targeted at some junket operators: people that organise the recruitment of high value casino players, mostly from China, and also organise credit issuance for gambling and arrange for collection on gambling losses.

Crown Resorts owns and operates several casino properties in Australia. The firm is an approximately 27-percent shareholder of Macau-based casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.

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