Resorts World Las Vegas and several other defendants have been named in a racketeering lawsuit following investigations of money laundering at the property.
Professional gambler Robert “R.J.” Cipriani and business investor James Russell filed the lawsuit. According to local media, the two plaintiffs allege the defendants violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Cipriani and Russell named criminal defense attorney David Chesnoff, Genting Berhad CEO KT Lim, former Resorts World CEO Scott Sibella, and six others in the suit. Genting Berhad is a Malaysian investment company and parent of Genting Group, which owns Resorts World-branded casinos in the U.S.
Cipriani is a Los Angeles-based high-stakes blackjack player, who claimed the casino hurt his career. He alleged that Resorts World blacklisted him and other casinos followed suit.
“As a professional gambler, he was deprived of his livelihood for over four years,” the lawsuit notes.
Resorts World Heavily Fined In March
Russell said the casino allowed a man who cheated him and business partners out of $10 million to gamble at the property despite being told the source of the money.
In March, the Nevada Gaming Control Board levied the second-largest fine in the regulatory board’s history to Resorts World Las Vegas. Regulators claimed “an overall lack of control” in money laundering prevention and other financial issues regarding high-stakes gamblers.
The NGCB’s complaint said that the property allowed illegal bookies to gamble at the property. Consequently, the NGCB fined the property $10.5 million.
Cipriani and Russell’s more recent lawsuit allege similar activity.
The lawsuit alleges the property was engaged in illegal activity that “welcomed criminals” and “let them launder their illicit funds at the casino and invest in Resorts World businesses, all to the benefit of the Resorts World’s bottom line.”
Cipriani and Russell are seeking financial damages that could triple if certain federal thresholds are met.
Casino Says Lawsuit Lacks Merit
The lawsuit alleges Chesnoff and Sibella were friends, and Chesnoff represented “various illegal gamblers, fraudsters, drug traffickers and other criminals.” He also invested in and had business interests with Resorts World, the suit argues.
In 2024, Sibella received one year of probation in a plea deal with federal prosecutors for violating anti-money laundering laws. In 2023, he was fired from his role with the property.
A representative from the casino told Las Vegas media that plaintiffs were seeking to gain financially from old issues.
“We typically do not comment on pending litigation, but this lawsuit repackages old matters and is yet another attempt to bring negative attention to Resorts World Las Vegas and seek some form of compensation,” the statement from the casino noted.
“We will vigorously defend ourselves against this meritless action.”
