A Hong Kong mogul who is rumored to have been linked to organized crime in Macau casinos is alleged to have been involved in a casino ship venture partnership with British Columbia’s Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) according to an investigation carried out by Global News.
The BC Attorney General David Eby commented on the situation, saying that the new information could lead to further investigation by the province’s gaming enforcement authorities. Mr. Eby also said that investors’ suitability and integrity must be carefully examined by the provincial government even in if it comes for casino ventures which are hosted outside the country.
The ministry confirmed that late Mr. Cheng Yu Tung has not been registered as a participant in any gambling businesses on the territory of British Columbia. The province’s General Attorney also shared that such allegations are always a serious act, so any reliable information about such individuals should be provided to the local gaming policy enforcement authorities for further investigation.
The investigation held by Global News was based on a series of interviews with ex employees of the GCGC, as well as on various legal and corporate documents. It has revealed that the business magnate Cheng Yu Tung was allegedly one of the main supporters of the casino ship venture known as the China Sea Discovery. The latter lasted only for about a year before ceasing operation in 2001 in a number of lawsuits but was notorious for its association with Chinese organized crime groups’ members and armed junket operators.
Asian Cruise Chip Casino Has Not Been Involved in German’s Investigation
The beginning of July saw the former Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer Peter German issue his report about the alleged money laundering schemes which have been taking place across British Columbia’s casinos. Mr. German’s report further confirmed the alleged relations of Chinese organized crime groups based in Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong to the money laundering process which has resulted in washing no less than CA$100 million through BC Lottery’s casinos.
In his report, Mr. German described the River Rock Casino as the very center of the illegal activity, but also shared that some casinos were unaware of the organized crime schemes to wash dirty money. For the time being, the investigation faced by the largest casino operator on the territory of Canada – the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation – is still in force, with Ontario’s regulatory body reviewing its management integrity, following the allegations which were made public by GA Eby’s ministry in 2017.
No checks of the Asian cruise ship casino have been held under the independent investigation of the former RCMP officer. However, Global News reported that Proka Avramovic, an ex security supervisor of the GCGC who was on the ship, said that the Hong Kong-based casino cruise venture of the Canadian operator was a crucial part of the introduction to the model of Chinese high-roller gambling.
At the time when the series of lawsuits against China Sea Discovery investors were taking place, Mr. Avramovic revealed a number of incidents on the casino ship. One of the incidents in question involved some employees of the Great Canadian Gaming who were held captive by a Chinese businessman only referred to as “Mr. Y” in court until the latter got repaid for an investment.
