Four Arrested for Alleged Fraudulent Activities in Macau Casinos

On Monday, law enforcement authorities in Cotai detained four individuals suspected of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to acquire HKD19 million (USD 2.4 million) in gambling credit from two Macau casinos. The Macau Judiciary Police announced the arrests in a briefing, highlighting the use of fabricated electronic documents in the alleged scam. The incident involved three individuals from Hong Kong and one local person from Macau.

Among the accused are three businesspeople, all in their 60s, surnamed Lee, Wong, and Or, and a 36-year-old man from Macau named Wong, who reportedly acted as a chauffeur. According to police reports, one of the suspects, identified as Lee, submitted a counterfeit electronic bank statement purporting to demonstrate a bank balance of HKD48 million. This fraudulent document was used to secure a gambling credit of HKD10 million, which led to the arrests earlier this week.

Fraudulent Practices Unveiled

Throughout mid-October to late October, the accused individuals were able to acquire batches of non-negotiable gaming chips from the casino involved. After playing at the tables, they exited the venue with the chips, according to Vong Chi Hou, head of the Judiciary Police’s gaming-related crimes division. Later, when the casino requested the return of the chips lent via the line of credit, the group managed to return only HKD1,585,000 worth.

A significant shortfall of HKD8,415,000 was noted, with the suspects claiming the missing amount was entrusted to other parties. Consequently, the casino, which remains unnamed, reported the suspicious activity to law enforcement. Further investigation by police linked the same suspects to alleged fraudulent activities at another casino, where HKD9 million in gambling credit was defrauded. This second casino also remains unnamed.

Policemen also discovered that applications for gambling credit at two other Macau operators were attempted by the suspects, though these were declined.

Official Response and Ongoing Investigations

Security staff from one of the casinos in Cotai alerted the police, leading to the capture of the suspects on Monday evening. During the operation, authorities seized HKD300,000 in cash from the Hong Kong suspect named Wong. All four accused individuals have now been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office as investigations proceed. They are potentially facing charges related to fraud and document forgery.

Mr. Vong mentioned that investigations are continuing, as there may be more individuals involved in the scam who are currently at large. The Macau police remain vigilant and are working to ensure all parties involved are brought to justice. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges casinos face in Macau concerning fraudulent activities and the sophisticated methods some individuals employ to exploit the gaming environment.

Source: Four held on suspicion of defrauding two Macau casinos of US$2.4mln in gambling credit, GGRAsia, October 31, 2025.

Posted by Wizard
Nov 05 2025