Star's husband caught in illegal gambling net

Staff reporters

Two businessmen - including the husband of Taiwanese actress Ady An Yixuan - have been arrested on suspicion of running illegal gambling operations uncovered during the investigation into Macau junket tycoon Alvin Chau Cheok-wa.

Chau, former executive director and chairman of Suncity Group Holdings, was among 11 people arrested by Macau's Judiciary Police last November for alleged illicit gambling operations, money laundering and ties to a criminal syndicate.

Macau police said yesterday they had uncovered another syndicate suspected of running illicit gambling and money-laundering operations during the investigation of Chau's case.

That led to Friday's arrest of a 49-year-old man named Chan and a 34-year-old man named Choi - both Macau residents - at a hotel in the Zona de Aterros do Porto Exterior. The two have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for further investigation.

While police did not provide any details of the suspects' identities, mainland news reports said one of them was Levo Chan Weng-lin, chairman and executive director of leading VIP gaming promoter Tak Chun Group and husband of celebrity An.

Macau Legend Development, of which Chan is executive director and co-chairman of the board, confirmed the news.

"The board is of the view that as the group is operated by a team of management personnel and the incident relates to the personal affairs of Mr Chan and not related to the group, the board does not expect [it] to have an adverse impact on daily operations," it said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

An's management company said it does not comment on the personal affairs of its artists.

Macau Legend operates Landmark, Babylon and Legend Palace casinos.

Sources said the other suspect is Choi Wai-chan, chairman of Ying Hai Group.

Chong Kam-leong, a Macau Judiciary Police spokesman, said Chan is accused of controlling and operating the syndicate - which is suspected of illegal online gambling and under-the-table betting in Macau casinos - and Choi provides assistance.

"After thorough analysis and investigations, police successfully intercepted the two suspects in a hotel," Chong said.

But he said the two were not cooperating with the investigation and refused to answer questions.

Officers seized computers and servers as well as around HK$4.1 million in cash during raids on the pair's offices and homes.

Chong said the separate arrests last November and on Friday targeted different syndicates, the current investigation has sufficient evidence to show they were related. He said details cannot be revealed yet.

Police said though their investigation showed that only two local businessmen were involved, they are keeping in touch with law-enforcement agencies around that world for intelligence exchange. They reiterated that the Macau authorities' investigations are targeting illegal crime syndicates and not specific junkets.

Last December, Tak Chun Group -one of the 46 junket operators that was able to obtain a license for this year - issued a notice, saying it had been notified by individual gaming groups that their collaboration will have to be suspended.