Las Vegas Sands target of money-laundering investigation – report
Source: Reuters
Las Vegas Sands Corp, controlled by billionaire Republican donor Sheldon Adelson, is the target of a federal investigation into possible violations of US money-laundering laws, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
The Los Angeles US attorney's office is looking into the casino company's handling of the receipt of millions of dollars from a Mexican businessman, later indicted in the United States for drug trafficking, and a former California businessman, later convicted of taking illegal kickbacks, the Journal said, citing lawyers and others involved in the matter.
... The Journal said there are no indications that actions by Adelson, who is the company's chief executive officer and largest shareholder, are being investigated.
... The timing of the investigation could open the Justice Department to criticism that it is politically motivated, the Journal said. Adelson is a major donor to the super PAC supporting presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney against President Barack Obama and plans to spend $100m on Republican candidates in November's elections.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/04/las-vegas-sands-investigation-report
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snip:
Sure, Democrats want to embarrass Adelson - who may become the single largest Republican donor this year - by repeating scandalous allegations contained in a lawsuit filed by a dismissed employee, alleging that Adelson conscienced prostitution in his Macau casinos. Thus, Chinese prostitution money was flowing to Republican coffers, they said. snip
Democrats never even broached allegations contained in lawsuits that Adelson - who according to Forbes is worth nearly $25 billion and is the 14th richest man in the world - stiffed his former driver and members of the detail that protects his family for required overtime wages. (Adelson was dropped from the former lawsuit, but his company is still a defendant.)
But those charges are still being litigated. So let's confine ourselves to the well-known things Democrats could have pointed out about Adelson.
For example, Adelson has elected not to sign a contract with the Culinary union, which is his right. But Adelson went further: When the Culinary staged a pre-opening protest at The Venetian, the casino's staff demanded police arrest demonstrators, and when officers refused, Sands sued. A federal judge determined the sidewalks outside Strip casinos are public forums, but Sands appealed that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court before being rebuffed. snip
Wow, he wouldn't pay his driver and security overtime and he's worth $25 billion! Can you believe this POS?