Cooperation with criminal associations: Australian Crown Casino is under fire

A recently published and jointly researched report by the three Australian newspapers “The Age”, “The Sydney Morning Herald” and “60 Minutes” recently caused great excitement. Investigative journalists had examined the Australian gaming company Crown Resorts Limited for over a year. In addition to the statements of a former employee, the focus of the research also included thousands of leaked emails that pointed out a cooperation between the Crown Casinos in Melbourne with criminal associations in China. Numerous, wealthy VIP players from the Middle Kingdom of the Middle Kingdom are said to have been attracted.

Insider information hardened suspicion

The detailed report makes serious accusations to the Crown Casino Melbourne or its owner Crown Resorts Limited. So massive, criminal acts are said to have made a business model possible, through that wealthy players from China were attracted and then had lost gigantic sums of money within a very short time. The research is supported by detailed statements by a former employee of the group and thousands of leaked emails. As early as 2017, such allegations were made public for the first time by a report on the TV station ABC. So -called junket operators should be at the core of this questionable business model.

What are junket operators: Junket operators are middlemen who are commissioned by the operators of a casino to lure rich potential players into the casinos with the help of specially sophisticated gambling trips. Not only the players, but also their money are looked after there. According to the Australian law, this type of advertising is legal, but at the moment it becomes illegal in which customers are recruited from countries in which gambling is strictly prohibited – as is the case in China. However, there are apparently numerous connections between Chinese junket operators, criminal associations and the crown casinos.

Large money laundering

The connections between the criminal associations and the crown casinos are apparently not to be dismissed. Leave e-mails would have provided clear evidence that A criminal association called “The Company” using customer advertising in the business processes of the crown casinos, where the union would then have operated money laundering on a large scale. in order to be able to carry out this, special rooms were used for wealthy players and banknotes from the casino. these processes were well known and accepted by the casino management. however, this does not make the end of the flagpole regarding the allegations. The allegations also affect the Australian consulate, which is said to have been involved in the illegal process by the relieved exhibition of a visa for the VIP players from China. Furthermore, the criminals are said to have been passed past the usual security procedure.

Former employees unpack

Through an interview by journalists with Jenny Jiang, who was formerly employed by Crown, in which they unpacked about the criminal procedures of the Crown Casino, the allegations were obtained. the crown resorts limited company was observed by chinese authorities for months, which led to jiang and 18 other employees of the group in shanghai in october 2016. the indictment was illegal gambling advertising. the defendants were only imprisoned for one month, But now all are now considered a criminal record in China. Professionally and socially, the enormous effects in the Middle Kingdom. The company had stated Liang when he started work that there was no illegal activities, but only advertised a luxurious stay in a Crown Hotel, but it was quickly clear to her that there was much more behind this stitch:

“Customers lost a good $ 10 million within 15 to 20 minutes. I noticed what kind of job I really got involved […] You did not deserve a license in Australia. They used their employees and then thrown away from us like used paper napkins. “

After the former employee had served her prison sentence and was again free of charge, representatives of the group came to her and would have had her offered a total of $ 60,000. In return, she should be silent about the allegations in the future. However, she decided differently and gave the press on record. A possibly expensive decision, since she is now afraid of her life.

The responsible persons of the crown casinos are silent

The severe allegations have so far had to be dispensed with in detailed statements by Crown Limited. Interview inquiries, including the newspaper “60 Minutes”, were denied by James Packer, the majority stock holder of the group. Instead, he announced by his lawyer that he Nothing knows about the activities in the room. A spokesman for the company commented on the newspaper “Daily Mail Australia” and commented on the allegations as follows:

“There is currently a class action lawsuit against which Crown defends itself. For this reason, we cannot make comments about certain points. However, as far as Junket Operators are concerned, Crown will not comment on his business activities. Crown carries out extensive anti-money laundering measures that are monitored by the Austrac regulatory supervision. ”

So it remains exciting in which direction the allegations and investigations will move.