Wynn Macau Director Embroiled in $2.8M Bribery Probe, Charges Filed

Posted on: May 17, 2022, 01:36h. 

Last updated on: May 17, 2022, 02:10h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

Two Hong Kong residents have been charged with bribing a Wynn Resorts (Macau) director in return for lucrative contracts servicing the company’s casino properties. Wynn Resorts (Macau) is the subsidiary of Wynn Macau Ltd that operates its properties.

Wynn Resorts bribery Macau
One of the accused’s companies was given 70 air-conditioning maintenance contracts at Wynn Macau Ltd properties, according to ICAC, such as the Wynn Macau, pictured above. (Pinterest)

Li Kin-wang, 58, and Woo Tak-hoi, 55, are in the air-conditioning business. They are accused of crossing the casino executive’s palm with HK$1.5 million (US$185,500) between June 2014 and January 2017.

That was to secure contracts worth HK$22 million (US$2.8 million) for two associated companies, Oh Luen and Wai Luen, according to Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

It is unclear if the Wynn director is also facing charges. Although unnamed, he is described by ICAC as a Hong Kong resident who had worked for the operator since 2007, with “responsibility for the procurement and award of repair and maintenance services.”

Anonymous Whistleblower

Li was a senior sales manager for Oh Luen. He is facing seven counts of offering advantage to an agent “without lawful authority or reasonable excuse,” in violation of Hong Kong’s Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).

He is alleged to have offered seven bribes, totaling more than HK$930,000 (US$118,470). Additionally, he is accused of conspiring with Woo, a director of Wai Luen, to offer two bribes totaling HK$560,000 (US$71,000).

Since 2013, Wynn Resorts (Macau) awarded around 70 air-conditioning maintenance contracts to Oh Luen, according to ICAC. The company operates two casinos in the gambling hub, Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace in Cotai.

ICAC was alerted to the possibility of bribery by an anonymous whistleblower in 2019. The agency was assisted by Macau’s Commission Against Corruption. Wynn Macau cooperated fully with the investigation, according to ICAC.

ICAC said the defendants were released on bail and are due to appear in Hong Kong’s Eastern District Court for a preliminary hearing Thursday.

Seven Years for Seven Bribes

Under Hong Kong’s private bribery laws, they face up to seven years in prison if found guilty, and a fine of up to HK$500,000 (US$64,000). They may also be prohibited from taking employment or becoming a director for up to seven years.

The unnamed director isn’t the only Wynn executive to be accused recently of involvement in a bribery scheme. Last October, Gamal Abdelaziz, a former CEO of Wynn Resorts Development in the US, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for his involvement in the college admissions scandal.

A Boston jury found him guilty of paying $300,000 to a corrupt admissions consultant to get his unqualified daughter into the University of Southern California as a basketball recruit.

He has appealed his conviction.