Resorts World Las Vegas Sued in Federal RICO Case Over Alleged Money Laundering Violations
Genting Berhad, the Malaysia-based parent company of Resorts World Las Vegas, and its Nevada property are facing a federal lawsuit that alleges the casino enabled individuals to use criminal proceeds to gamble and conduct business inside the resort. The complaint, filed December 3 in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, states that these activities continued for years and that the property failed to follow federal anti-money laundering rules designed to keep casinos from being used to move illegal funds. It also claims that certain former executives retaliated against a cooperating witness who reported concerns to law enforcement.
Regulatory records show that Resorts World paid a $10.5 million fine in March 2025 after the Nevada Gaming Control Board identified widespread problems in the resort’s anti-money laundering procedures. The lawsuit references this settlement as part of the broader pattern it describes, arguing that state findings aligned with the internal warnings raised before the filing of the case.
Court documents state that the casino encouraged high spending patrons whose funds appeared to come from illegal activity and allowed them to gamble, redeem chips, and take part in business activity inside the resort. The filing says California resident Robert J. Cipriani raised concerns in early 2021 after observing what he believed were criminal networks operating on site. According to the complaint, the company did not respond to his letter or take corrective steps at the time.
Cipriani, described as a longtime cooperating witness for federal agencies, argues that certain executives retaliated after he shared information with investigators. He alleges that staff detained him on the gaming floor, accused him of gambling fraud based on false statements, and blocked access to his gaming account. Cipriani maintains that these actions were intended to discourage further cooperation.
The lawsuit also includes allegations from Las Vegas businessman James Russell. Russell states that Resorts World allowed a known fraud defendant, Brandon Sattler, to gamble large sums even after Sattler had been found liable for a multi-million dollar debt in bankruptcy court. According to the filing, Sattler used part of the $10 million Russell loaned him to gamble at the resort. Court records state the casino did not verify the source of those funds or file the required federal reports about suspicious activity.
The claims are brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. The law allows individuals to bring claims when they believe a group operated as an enterprise and engaged in repeated crimes known as predicate acts. This means the alleged conduct must involve more than one event and must show a pattern of activity. Predicate acts can include offenses such as money laundering, wire fraud, and retaliation against a witness. The complaint states that the alleged pattern caused financial losses for those bringing the claims.
A significant portion of the lawsuit centers on the Bank Secrecy Act, the federal law that requires casinos to operate anti-money laundering programs. Under this statute, casinos function as financial institutions and must review the source of funds for large transactions, monitor for unusual behavior, and submit Suspicious Activity Reports when activity may involve illegal proceeds. These requirements are intended to prevent gambling properties from being used to move or conceal criminal funds. According to the complaint, Resorts World permitted substantial transactions without adequate review and did not file required reports when staff observed signs of suspicious behavior.
The lawsuit also details the involvement of several former executives, including former Resorts World president Scott Sibella, who oversaw and managed casino operations during the period identified in the filing. Court records show that Sibella had previously pleaded guilty in an unrelated case involving failure to file a suspicious activity report at another property.
Genting and Resorts World have stated in regulatory documents that they strengthened compliance practices after the 2025 settlement with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The complaint presents a different description of events and disputes the company’s reported changes.
