The US District Court has dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit brought against Genting’s Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) and its former President Scott Sibella by a renowned high-stakes gambler for alleged negligence, civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the suit was filed last year by Robert Cipriani, also known as “RobinHood702”, claiming RWLV and Sibella had allowed a known felon to gamble and directed them harass and intimidate him when he made them aware of the gambler’s identity.
The incident in question took place in November 2021 when Cipriani is said to have clashed with fellow gambler, Robert Alexander – a former Las Vegas businessman who was convicted of fraud in 2020 – for allegedly filming him against his will. Cipriani subsequently took Alexander’s phone, for which he was charged with robbery and larceny – although the charges were later dismissed – and was also accused by RWLV of back-betting while playing blackjack on the same day. Back-betting is deemed a fraudulent act in Nevada casinos.
Having filed a suit in response alleging negligence, civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the court last week dismissed the case claiming Cipriani had failed to adequately demonstrate how either RWLV or Sibella were responsible for the actions of Alexander, as per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Said otherwise, it is not as if the Court merely found some factual allegations lacking but the existing allegations suggest there are other facts out there that would make Cipriani’s claims plausible,” the judge wrote.
Sibella is no stranger to controversy, having been let go by RWLV in September 2023 for violating company policy. In January of this year he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of failing to file reports of suspicious transactions his casino was required to make under the Bank Secrecy Act while President of MGM Grand from August 2017 to February 2019. Sibella’s tenure at RWLV is also under investigation by the Gaming Control Board.
RWLV has concerns of its own, with the Nevada Gaming Control Board having filed a disciplinary complaint against it in August for allegedly failing to fulfill its responsibilities as a holder of a privileged Nevada gaming license by allowing individuals with suspected or proven ties to illegal activities to gamble on property.