LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former top executive for major Las Vegas casinos was sentenced to a year of probation Wednesday after admitting he allowed an illegal bookmaker to gamble millions of dollars at the MGM Grand and pay off debts in cash.Scott Sibella pleaded guilty in January to violating federal anti-money laundering rules that required the casino to file reports of suspicious transactions. His sentence was handed down in federal court by U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee, who also ordered Sibella to pay a fine of $9,500. Gee took into consideration that Sibella, 61, took responsibility for his actions, cooperated with investigators, and had no previous criminal history.
Separately, Nevada casino regulators are considering revoking or suspending Sibella’s state gambling license and fining him up to $750,000. A complaint filed April 30 by state Gaming Control Board investigators has not yet been considered by the Nevada Gaming Commission.
Sibella’s attorneys had asked the judge to consider probation. They submitted testimonial letters of support, including one from Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill, the elected head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The MGM Grand and nearby Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas previously settled a related case stemming from a U.S. Justice Department money laundering probe. The resorts agreed to pay a combined $7.45 million, submit to an external review and step up their anti-money laundering compliance programs.
Leave a Reply