A California casino was fined $500,000 and is undergoing enhanced review after staff failed to alert authorities when a high-roller brought $100million in cash to use on games of baccarat.
The high-roller, described only as a Chinese national, visited the Bicycle Hotel & Casino in Los Angeles County approximately 100 times over an eight-month period in 2016.
Federal prosecutors say the gambler would play high-limit baccarat in a VIP room with large sums of cash that he would transport to and from the casino in duffle bags. The man would then have his assistant conduct cash-in or cash-out transactions on his behalf, totaling an estimated value of over $100million.
Officials say the casino failed to file suspicious activity reports durning the alleged gambling incidents and improperly filed currency transaction reports in the name of the assistant instead of the high-roller.
Hotel staff alerted management of the compliance failures in late July 2016, prompting the establishment to amend currency transaction reports to include the high-roller's name and regularly file reports questioning the 'suspicious nature of his source of funds'.
On Friday, federal prosecutors entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) with the casino requiring the establishment to pay a fine and improve its anti-money-laundering protocols.
The Bicycle Hotel & Casino in Bell Gardens, California was forced to pay a $500,000 fine and strengthen its anti-money-laundering protocols after a 2017 raid and investigation (pictured) revealed that the casino ailed to file suspicious activity reports and improperly filed currency transaction reports
The investigation was launched after a high-roller (not pictured), described only as a Chinese national, brought $100M cash to bet on games of baccarat during an 8-month period in 2016
Authorities raided the Bicycle Hotel & Casino in 2017 to investigate possible money laundering.
According to the Department of Justice, the investigation revealed that from at least January 7, 2016 to July 27, 2016 the hotel failed to properly file reports regarding the Chinese national's cash transactions during his nearly 100 visits.
In one instance, as
