Murder-for-hire in Macau: Sands in high roller, triad controversy

Breaking from Reuters is a story that threatens to knock the façade of corporate legitimacy right off the Macau casino industry. Las Vegas Sands’ Macau casino is at the center of the controversy involving a murder-for-hire plot and a triad member who had intimate access to one of the gambling palace’s VIP rooms.

The man’s name is Cheung Chi-tai, leader of the Wo Hop To triad.

Here’s the link to the story written by Matt Isaacs and Reuters staff in collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Program at University of California, Berkeley.

Excerpt: “The murder-for-hire case sheds light on the links between China's secretive triad societies and Macau's booming gambling industry. It also raises potentially troubling questions about one of the world's largest gaming companies, Las Vegas Sands, which plans to open a $5.5 billion Singapore casino resort in late April. ...

“An examination of Hong Kong court records, U.S. depositions from the former president of Sands, and interviews with law enforcement and security officials in both the U.S. and Macau, reveals a connection between Las Vegas Sands and Cheung — ties that could potentially put Sands in violation of Nevada gaming laws. ...

“Documents show that his investment allowed him a share in the profits from a VIP gambling room at the casino.”