Macau Wants to Reinstate Fraud Charges against Suncity, Says Report

Many criminal cases come to an end once the person or organization is sentenced. Yet, considering the different levels of courts, appeals can be filed, prolonging the inevitable or in some cases completely changing the outcome of a legal battle. Earlier this year, back in January, Macau’s Court of First Instance, sentenced Alvin Chau, the former CEO and founder of Suncity Group to 18 years in prison.

Now, a report released by IAG, citing sources close to the matter, reveals that the Prosecutor’s Office in Macau filed an appeal with the Court of Final Appeal, asking for charges related to fraud against Chau to be reinstated. While he was sentenced to prison, Suncity’s boss challenged the charges against himself, and the company related to fraud.

The Court of First Instance sentenced him to prison along with settling a compensation of nearly $270 million to gaming concessionaires in the country. Consequently, the Court of Second Instance in Macau ruled against the charges related to fraud, effectively confirming Chau’s prison sentence. While the total compensation he and the company were due to pay to the government in Macau increased to $1.1 billion, they were no longer required to pay the concessionaires.

However, judging by the recent report, the Public Prosecutor’s Office now seeks to reinstate the fraud charges imposed by the Court of First Instance. The request is for the Court of Final Appeal to uphold the initial charges that Suncity and Chau have to pay some $265 million to five gaming concessionaires in Macau.

Gambling Concessionaires Abandoned Compensations Earlier This Month

Undoubtedly, the latest decision of the Macau Prosecutor’s Office prolongs the legal battle for Suncity Group. The sentencing of Chau comes after his arrest dating back to November 2021. At the time, he was detained and faced charges related to illegal gambling, fraud, money laundering and ties to criminal organizations.

Despite the intentions of the Prosecutor’s Office, earlier this month, the five gambling operators that sought compensation from Chau and Suncity, confirmed their intentions no longer to pursue such claims. At the time, local media outlets confirmed that the gaming companies abandoned their claim for more than $265 million in compensation from the junket operator.

Operators that sought compensation included the Venetian Macau, SJM Resorts, MGM China, Galaxy as well as Wynn Resorts. It is unclear how the latest decision of the Prosecutor’s Office would impact the operators’ decision and whether they would reconsider it and seek compensation once again.