• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Saturday 10 May 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Former Imperial Pacific and Hengsheng Group junket executive deemed head of criminal syndicate by mainland China court

Pierce Chan by Pierce Chan
Mon 27 Nov 2023 at 17:29
Former Imperial Pacific and Hengsheng Group junket executive deemed head of criminal syndicate by mainland China court
165
SHARES
4.1k
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Ji Xiaobo, the former Macau junket executive who oversaw controversial Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI), has been deemed to be the head of a “criminal syndicate” by a Beijing court.

The Beijing Municipal First Intermediate People’s Court ruled on 24 November that Ji was involved in the crimes of picking quarrels and provoking trouble, unlawful intrusion into a home, illegal debt, transporting others across the border and establishing a casino.

It is believed the charges relate both to his time as an executive of Macau junket Hengsheng Group and as project director for Imperial Pacific International, which ran Imperial Palace • Saipan before it was shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Ji’s mother, Cui Lijie, is IPI’s majority shareholder.

Ji was deemed to be the head of a criminal syndicate while the court sentenced 15 other people, including his aunt Cui Limei, who was sentenced to eight-and-a half years in prison and fined RMB200,000 (US28,170). The case specifically related to JI Xiaobo will be tried separately.

Imperial Palace · Saipan

According to courtroom documents, the criminal syndicate was operated by Ji between 2008 and 2021 where it sought to make illegal profits by setting up casinos outside China; organizing people to use violence, threats and other means to demand the repayment of gambling debts; and organizing people to convert the debts accrued as a result of gambling and transfer the assets.

It is believed Ji has gone into hiding ever since the arrests of fellow junket operators, Suncity’s Alvin Chau and Tak Chun’s Levo Chan, in recent years. Hengsheng Group also closed after Ji’s disappearance.

IPI was founded after Ji’s mother, Cui Lijie acquired 74.99% of the issued shares of First Natural Foods Holdings, which was renamed Imperial Pacific International Holdings in May 2014. The company then successfully bid for the only gambling license on Saipan, opening temporary casino Best Sunshine the following year.

Imperial Palace • Saipan soft opened in 2017 but was closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later had its casino license suspended for failure to pay various license fees.

The local Commonwealth Casino Commission is currently seeking to revoke IPI’s casino license permanently.

RelatedPosts

Thai committee to submit report on legalized casinos in May

Thai tourism sector worried Beijing may restrict Chinese visitation if casinos legalized

Wed 26 Mar 2025 at 16:59
South Korea drops quarantine requirement for unvaccinated arrivals

South Korea to introduce visa exemption for tour groups from China

Sun 23 Mar 2025 at 18:34
China says Myanmar scam parks have been largely eliminated

China says Myanmar scam parks have been largely eliminated

Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 08:44
Macau quarantines all travelers arriving from specific areas in Shanghai and Tianjin

China expects GDP to grow by 5% this year

Thu 6 Mar 2025 at 05:57
Load More
Tags: ChinaHengsheng GroupImperial Pacific InternationalJi Xiaobojunket
Share66Share12
Pierce Chan

Pierce Chan

With more than five years’ experience working as a journalist in Macau, Pierce is an experienced media operator with strong skills in news writing and editing. He previously worked with Exmoo, first as a reporter covering government, gaming and tourism-related stories, then as a Deputy Assignment Editor helping set the agenda of the day. Pierce is a graduate of the University of Macau.

Current Issue

Editorial – Knife’s edge

Editorial – Knife’s edge

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:14

Thailand’s Entertainment Complex journey is at a critical point, with the success or failure of the initiative to be determined...

The changing face of Macau

The changing face of Macau

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:09

Inside Asian Gaming takes a deep dive into the new, post-COVID Macau where a revenue environment that seems to be...

Born again

Born again

by Pierce Chan
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 14:47

Premiering in September 2010 at City of Dreams, The House of Dancing Water was a visionary creation by artistic maestro...

Richard Howarth – Testing the limits

Richard Howarth – Testing the limits

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 13:17

Richard Howarth, Chief Business Officer APAC for global testing laboratory GLI, discusses his career journey and his passion for fast-paced...

Evolution Asia
Aristocrat
GLI
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
Nustar
Jumbo

Related Posts

Japan Credit Rating Agency affirms Konami’s A+ rating due to “high earning capacity”

Stability in Australia, North America drives 7.4% revenue growth for Konami’s gaming segment in FY25

by Newsdesk
Fri 9 May 2025 at 06:48

Global gaming supplier Konami reported a 7.4% increase in revenue in its Gaming & Systems segment to JPY42.7 billion in the year ended 31 March 2025, with operating profit up by 16.3% to JPY7.3 billion, according to financial statements published...

MGM’s Hornbuckle bullish on “unique” Macau as China stimulus uncertainty sees gaming stocks dive

MGM’s Bill Hornbuckle extends employment contract through end-2028

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 9 May 2025 at 06:34

MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle has renewed his employment contract with the company through to the end of 2028, after which time he will assume an advisory role to assist with the pre-opening phase of its US$9 billion...

Winds of change

Melco says working with potential buyers on bidding process for City of Dreams Manila

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 9 May 2025 at 06:16

Melco Resorts & Entertainment said Thursday that it is currently in discussions with potential buyers of its stake in Philippines integrated resort City of Dreams Manila and will soon have a shortlist of interested parties that will partake in a...

Melco prices US$750 million Senior Notes offering

Melco smashes revenue and profit estimates in 1Q25, gains market share on powerful performance of Macau resorts

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 9 May 2025 at 05:36

An impressively strong performance in Macau was enough to see Melco Resorts & Entertainment comfortably beat consensus in 1Q25, with the company reporting a 10.8% year-on-year increase in total operating revenues to US$1.23 billion including a 12.2% rise in gaming...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • English