John L. Smith: News of Federal Probe Another Troublesome Headline for Resorts World Las Vegas
While the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz blockbuster fight stole away all the headlines at Gambling911.com in recent days, a federal probe into Las Vegas casino execs alleged ties to an illegal California bookmaking business and its top dog, one time minor league baseball player Wayne Nix, continues to generate interest.
Nix' client list was created from contacts he had made in the sports world and included current and former pro athletes. The agents he hired helped expand that clientele. A professional football player paid Nix $245,000 for gambling losses in 2016 while an MLB coach paid him $4000 in losses that same year.
The probe appears to be focused on executive(s) and/or former execs of Vegas casinos. The Nevada Currrent's Dana Gentry writes that it involves alleged use of casino chips and comps to pay off gambling debts to the California-based bookie business.
R.J. Cipriani, a high-stakes gambler and player advocate, has been tweeting away about the supposed skullduggery of various casino executives.
"The one thing none of these guys want is to be deposed," Cipriani told Gambling911.com when asked if he worried about making such tweets without supporting proof.
Jeremiah Chambers, a now former senior director for customer development at the Cosmopolitan casino, was confirmed by Gambling911.com's own Thomas Somach to have left their employment in recent weeks. When approached as to why, the casino would not say. Chambers was previously a subject of Cipriani's tweets.
Cipriani assisted the feds with the take down a thriving bookmaking business whose main man, Owen Hanson, dabbled in, among other things, trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy. Kristina Davis of the San Diego Union refers to Cipriani as "the FBI informant largely responsible for the prosecutions in Australia and San Diego against Los Angeles resident Owen Hanson and his alleged associates". Hanson would ultimately be convicted and is the subject of a Netflix docuseries currently in the works.
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
Cipriani has very publicly and colorfully disclosed his involvement in the case — from his recruitment as a would-be money launderer to receiving death threats to working with the San Diego FBI. He talks of trying to get a movie or book deal out of the whole thing.
Cipriani says he prefers to be referred to as an "advocate" for the people, hence his "Robin Hood 702" moniker.
We hear casino executives throughout Vegas and other high profile individuals elsewhere are now squirming.
Nix is set to be sentenced in March 2024 in the Central District of California. Nix was convicted of filing false tax returns and failing to pay income taxes on at least $1.5 million.
The investigation involving alleged misuse of casino assets has already resulted in contact between federal investigators and the office of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, long time gaming journalist John L. Smith points out in the CDC report.
From Smith's reporting:
It is unclear whether Nix has agreed to cooperate with federal authorities. Sources confirmed this week that he continued to maintain many gambling associates in Las Vegas in recent years.
The Current points to Resorts World President Scott Sibella, a former president of the MGM Grand, as being one of the main targets of the probe and someone who is regularly referenced on Cipriani's Twitter feed.
This is where Smith explains the bad press surrounding Resorts World Las Vegas.
Sibella was forced to answer tough questions last year during Resorts World’s licensing hearing before the Control Board after he was accused of inappropriate associations by former Resorts World high roller and accused bankruptcy fraudster Brandon Sattler. Among Sattler’s allegations was a claim that Sibella had a private business relationship with convicted bookmaker David Stroj. An investigation found the allegations against Sibella unsubstantiated, newly appointed GCB Member George Assad said in a surprise announcement.
Noticeably absent from all this hoopla is Sin City's leading newspaper, the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Sources tell our own Thomas Somach they are well aware of the probe but, for whatever reason, have opted not to report on it.
- T.C. Jackson, Gambling911.com Correspondent
