Posted on: October 25, 2024, 11:57h.
Last updated on: October 25, 2024, 12:31h.
A federal judge in Nevada has tossed a lawsuit brought by high-stakes gambler Robert “RJ” Cipriani against Resorts World Las Vegas and its former president Scott Sibella. The suit alleged that Resorts World and Sibella allowed Cipriani to be harassed by another gambler, admitted fraudster Robert Alexander.
Cipriani claimed he became a target because he had spoken out against Resorts World and Sibella for allowing several known felons to gamble on the premises. Alexander himself pleaded guilty in January 2020 to stealing at least $1.3 million from investors in his bogus online sweepstakes company, Kizzang.
Since his guilty plea, Alexander has succeeded in delaying the sentencing because of a supposed medical condition. But he was well enough to continue gambling at Resorts World, a fact that incensed Cipriani who believed the money he was staking should be used to compensate his victims.
‘Weeks of Harassment’
Cipriani claimed his whistleblowing against Alexander and other convicted felons on the property resulted in weeks of harassment by Alexander, who would follow him around Resorts World on his mobility scooter while filming him on his phone.
In November 2021, Cipriani snatched the phone from Alexander’s hand and took it to the casino cage in an attempt to prove the alleged harassment to casino staff.
For his “fleeting possession of Alexander’s phone,” according to the lawsuit, Cipriani was arrested and charged with larceny.
On the very same day, Resorts World filed a complaint with the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) accusing Cipriani of past-posting bets at the blackjack tables, which subsequently became a criminal complaint. Cipriani claimed in the lawsuit that this was done to silence and discredit him. He denied cheating, and all charges were later dropped.
The lawsuit’s claims against Resorts World and Sibella included:
- Negligence
- Negligent training, supervision, and retention
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Civil conspiracy
The suit sought general and punitive damages to be determined at trial.
‘Not Inherently Dangerous’
Judge Miranda Du ruled Wednesday that the defendants’ alleged actions toward Cipriani were “not inherently dangerous,” and his emotional distress was “insufficiently severe.”
Du also noted that in a separate civil lawsuit against Alexander, Cipriani claimed “Alexander was trespassed from [Resorts World] based upon his extreme and outrageous conduct and presumably to ensure the safety of guests such as” Cipriani. This undermined his claim that Resorts World did nothing to stop the harassment.
Cipriani told Casino.org he was disappointed that Du repeatedly said he had been arrested twice in the same day, when in fact he had only been arrested once. He added this suggested she had “not done her research.”
In August 2024, the NGCB filed a 31-page complaint detailing multiple felons who had been allowed to gamble at Resorts World. These included illegal bookie Matthew Bowyer, as well as Edwin Ting, who was sentenced in 2014 as part of a gambling ring that laundered more than $100 million.
In May 2024, Sibella was sentenced to a year’s probation on a money-laundering charge for allowing illegal bookie Wayne Nix to gamble at the MGM Grand Las Vegas from August 2017 through February 2019 while Sibella was president and COO of that property.
Sibella was fired by Resorts World in September 2023 for an unspecified violation of company policy.
Cipriani ‘Won’t Be Silenced’
Meanwhile, Cipriani, who goes by “Robin Hood 702” because he claims to donate a portion of his winnings to the poor, was taking none of this lying down when Casino.org spoke to him Friday.
This is but a minor defeat for the good people of Nevada with real integrity and commitment that are still battling to expose the truth about all the corruption and double dealing going on in the town I love, Las Vegas,” Cipriani said.
“To all the bad guys who think they’ve won, listen to me very carefully. It ain’t over, till it’s over. I won’t stop, I won’t be silenced, I will use my last breath and my last penny fulfilling God’s mission,” he continued.
“Govern yourselves accordingly. I am an indefatigable opponent and defender of the truth. I am Robin Hood 702!”
