Adelson’s troubles mount; Rage at Wynncore

Las Vegas Sands has been losing one court case after another, whether in Macao or at home in Las Vegas. But the sands really hit the fan today with the revelation that Sheldon Adelson‘s company is under the scrutiny by a federal grand jury for potential money laundering. Sands imposed a prohibition on international monetary transfers earlier this year, but it was a classic case of closing the barn door long after the horse had bolted.

The federal inquiry focuses on “potentially suspicious financial transfers” by degenerate gambler Yusuf Omar Siddiqui (left, who has now added “convicted felon” to his resume) and Mexican pharmaceutical exec Zhenli Ye Gon, who’s being housed and fed at U.S. taxpayer expense while he tries to avoid going back to Mexico to face felony charges there. While these are pretty rum customers, Sands can’t exactly choose the company it keeps. But if it had reason to be suspicious about the provenance of Siddiqui’s ill-gotten gains or Gon’s money, then it’s in the soup. Heck, I’m still waiting for a convincing explanation of how Sands China could be paying 700 grand to Macanese legislator Leonel Alves and not be in contravention of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Given Sands’ history of stonewalling opposing counsel, the grand jury may be simply the Justice Department‘s way of turning up the toaster over under Sheldon’s butt.

(Thanks @_TPR for the link.)

A “drunken rumpus” in a luxury duplex at Encore has left Steve Wynn with $96,270 (and 61 cents) in repair work to be done, courtesy of rampaging workers-comp attorney Robert Pearman, 45. First of all, men in their mid-forties should have put their douchebag years behind them. Secondly, Wynn must be in a very forgiving mood, because he’s only suing Pearman for 10 grand. (My guess is that the lawyer lost big at Wynn’s tables and took it out on his suite.)

Thirdly, Pearman knows no shame: He told Las Vegas Metro, “I take full responsibility for what happened here. We were partying. [Editor’s note: Ya think?] I did all of this. I am responsible for all these people.” However, “full responsibility” apparently didn’t extend to paying for any of the damage, which Pearman now ascribes to a  mysterious “third party.” Anyway, those 100,000 smackers are chump change to both Wynn Resorts and the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority — a drop in the bucket compared to what is made by promulgating the image of Las Vegas as a lawless town where anything goes … kinda like that alleged money-laundering, come to think.