Former Suncity Group CEO Alvin Chau Gets 18 Years in Prison

GGR Asia reported that Chau, who was arrested back in November 2021, was found guilty on charges of illegal gambling, including running illegal gambling activities in licensed venues and fraud. Chau was not found guilty of charges of money laundering.

Suncity Group’s Side-Betting Scheme Confirmed

Macau Court of First Instance’s judge Lou Ieng Ha pronounced the sentence on January 18 concluding the trial against Alvin Chau and 20 other defendants that started on September 2. Lou stated that the charge of participation in a criminal organization had been substantiated against Chau and several co-defendants, as well as Chau’s position as a leader within the illicit group.

The judge declared that an investigation had uncovered Chau’s involvement in the operation of an illicit, off-the-books wagering scheme catering to high-stakes gamblers in Macau, colloquially known as the “multiplier”. Furthermore, Suncity Group was also implicated in such illegal practices.

The multiplier, a technique employed in the casino gaming tables, entails a privately placed bet that is multiple times greater than the officially recorded wager, thus circumventing the 39% tax imposed on casino gross gaming revenue in Macau.

In her statement on Wednesday, the judge acknowledged that the betting operation orchestrated by Chau and his accomplices defrauded the Macau government and the six licensed casino operators, disrupting the proper taxation process and undermining the operators’ ability to generate profit from their patrons.

Judge Lou stated that the defendants have the right to contest the ruling to the Court of Second Instance within a 20-day period.

Alvin Chau Pleaded Not Guilty Throughout the Legal Proceedings

Throughout the legal proceedings, Chau denied any involvement in illegal activities. His attorneys argued that Suncity Group had no incentive to engage in activities such as under-the-table betting through the use of the “multiplier” as the company already had a thriving gaming enterprise, contributing billions in taxes to the Macau government.

During the trial, it was revealed that the established criminal enterprise of the defendants allegedly deprived the Macau government of approximately $1.05 billion in tax revenue between 2013 and 2021. The trial’s closing arguments were presented in early December. Additionally, several of Macau’s casino operators have also filed complaints against Suncity Group, seeking millions of US dollars in damages. These companies include Wynn Macau Ltd, MGM China Holdings Ltd, SJM Holdings Ltd, Sands China Ltd, and Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. They are each seeking compensation for losses they claim to have incurred as a result of Suncity Group’s alleged involvement in under-the-table betting.