Businessman in betting scheme case asks judge to set aside misdemeanor
A wealthy Malaysian businessman has asked a federal judge to set aside his misdemeanor conviction in a scheme prosecutors say illegally wagered millions of dollars on World Cup soccer from luxury suites at Caesars Palace.
Richard Yong, 57, and his Washington-area lawyer, Thomas Goldstein, contend in court papers that his 2014 conviction was based on unlawful government searches and other misconduct and that he pleaded guilty only to save his son from prosecution in the high-profile case.
Federal prosecutors have not yet had a chance to respond in writing to the claims.
In June, U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon dismissed gambling charges against another wealthy Malaysian businessman, Paul Phua, after earlier tossing out the brunt of the evidence because of government misconduct. Goldstein and Las Vegas lawyer David Chesnoff represented Phua.
Gordon had barred prosecutors from using evidence FBI agents seized from the Caesars Palace villas during a July 9, 2014, raid, concluding it was the "fruit" of an illegal search. Agents had posed as Internet service repairmen to gain access to some of the suites before the raid.
In court papers filed Sunday, Goldstein cited the unconstitutional search and other alleged government deception during the investigation.
"The government's lies skewed Mr. Yong's assessment of the strength of the case against him," Goldstein wrote.
Goldstein also argued that Yong pleaded guilty last December "out of a desire to end his innocent son's ordeal," not because Yong was "actually guilty" of the misdemeanor gambling offense.
Prosecutors intimidated Yong into accepting the plea deal knowing that they didn't have evidence of wrongdoing against Yong's son, Goldstein argued.
"The severity of the government's misconduct also warrants discharge," Goldstein wrote. "The government's track record in this litigation has been discouraging, to say the least."
Yong, an internationally known poker player who runs a junket company in Macau, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to transmission of wagering information. He was fined $100,000 and ordered to forfeit $400,000 in cash and property to the government.
Yong and five other defendants who pleaded guilty all were sentenced to five years of probation with the condition they stay out of the United States during that period. The case against Yong's son was dismissed.
Prosecutors alleged the group earned $13 million in profits while at the Caesars Palace villas last June and July.
The Strip hotel-casino cooperated in the investigation, which attracted the interest of the worldwide professional poker community.
Phua, who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, is also widely known on the poker circuit. He left the country on his private jet hours after his case was dismissed June 1.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ
