The trial of former Tak Chun Group and Macau Legend CEO Levo Chan has been scheduled to commence at 9:45am on Monday 5 December in a case involving nine defendants.
Chan was arrested by Macau’s Judiciary Police in January and has been remanded in Coloane Prison ever since. In August, the Public Prosecutions Office formally charged him with involvement in illegal gambling, money laundering, running a criminal syndicate and defrauding the Macau government and concessionaires.
He was also accused of “betting under the table” to the tune of HK$34.9 billion (US$4.45 billion) over a six-year period, earning at least HK$1.5 billion (US$191 million) in revenue.
His arrest saw Tak Chun Group shut down their Macau operations, while Chan also stepped down as Chairman and CEO of Macau Legend Development Ltd in February – barely a year after acquiring a 33.2% stake in the company. Macau Legend owns the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf precinct and operates Legend Palace and Babylon casinos under license from SJM.
The Chan trial is the second major junket-related trial to get underway in Macau with that of former Suncity Group chairman Alvin Chau slated to begin on 19 September after the initial hearing on 2 September was adjourned, Chau is also accused of “betting under the table”, allegedly converting turnover of HK$800 billion (US$102 billion) into more than HK$20 billion (US$2.5 billion) in revenue.
The trial of Levo Chan will be held at Macau’s Court of First Instance. Four of the city’s six concessionaires will be represented by lawyers who will seek civil damages as part of the trial.
