In a significant legal development in Macau, the Court of Final Appeal has affirmed the sentencing for Levo Chan Weng Lin, the erstwhile head of the now-obsolete Macau casino junket operator, Tak Chun Group. Chan, along with four other defendants, will face years in prison as part of their punishment for participating in illegal gambling activities.
Final verdict upheld for former casino operator in Macau:
The decision, which was detailed in a ruling released on Thursday, November 28th, finalized Chan’s imprisonment to a total of 13 years. As GGRAsia reports, this decision followed an earlier adjustment by Macau’s Court of Second Instance, which reduced the sentences slightly from their initial terms. The same ruling also specified financial penalties, reducing the collective reparation fee from approximately HKD2.49 billion to nearly HKD1.63 billion, marking a significant decrease in the financial burden on the defendants.
Chan’s legal troubles began when he was apprehended in January 2022, with charges including membership in a criminal organization, illegal gambling operations, defrauding both the Macau SAR government and its casino concessionaires, and laundering money. Despite these numerous allegations, Chan and four other defendants were exonerated of fraud charges earlier this year, while other charges, including criminal association and illicit gambling, were confirmed by the Court of Final Appeal.
The saga commenced at the city’s Court of First Instance, where Chan initially faced a 14-year sentence. This sentence was later revised following several court proceedings, reflecting ongoing legal battles and appeals. During these sessions, the evidence presented included documents from Tak Chun Group’s operational assets and testimony from former employees, which supported claims of under-table betting operations managed by Chan and his associates.
These illegal operations were said to have occurred in “24” venues within various casinos, specifically in areas branded by Tak Chun. The operations involved substantial sums, with illicit profits estimated at over HKD1.50 billion across nearly six years. The court’s findings highlighted the sophisticated nature of these activities, including proxy betting operations that extended beyond Macau’s borders to places like the Philippines, further complicating the legal scrutiny.
Implications of the ruling:
This ruling not only reiterates the severity of Chan’s crimes but also underscores the Macau judicial system’s stance on illegal gambling activities. The reduction in the compensation amount, although significant, aligns with the court’s determination of the financial extent of the illicit gains derived from these operations. The decision is seen as a closure to a notorious chapter in Macau’s gambling history, marking the end of the road for one of its once-prominent junket operators.
The broader impact of this case on Macau’s gambling landscape is profound, signaling to other operators the rigorous enforcement of laws against illegal gambling practices. It also highlights the ongoing challenges within the sector, emphasizing the need for stringent regulatory oversight to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The defendants, including Chan, have been ordered to make substantial payments to the Macau government, compensating for the illicit gains acquired through their gambling operations. This ruling follows intense legal scrutiny and multiple appeals, reflecting the complexities involved in adjudicating cases of this magnitude in the gambling-centric economy of Macau.
