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Six indicted in illegal gambling case
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Posted on Sep 22 2000
Six Chinese nationals were indicted yesterday in the U.S. District Court on various criminal charges stemming from alleged illegal gambling operations in the tourist district of Garapan.
They pled not guilty to seven counts filed in the indictment, including illegal gambling business and racketeering charges, lodged by federal prosecutors.
Indicted were Liu Jun Wei alias “A-Wei,” Tam Pan “Bing Ge,” Huang Hui Men “A-Huang,” Chen Cheng Zhan “A-Chen,” and Cai Zai Ming “A-Ming.” Another person whose identity is kept under seal was also indicted.
The suspects, who are citizens of the People’s Republic of China, remain under the custody of U.S. Marshal after their arrest by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
District Judge Alex R. Munson set their trial on Oct. 23. A bail hearing is scheduled today to determine whether they can be freed from detention while awaiting trial.
Assistant District Attorney David T. Wood recommended no bail for all the suspects due to potential harm they pose to the community and possible flight risks.
All six were charged with varying counts of offenses, but three of them, who were earlier arrested and indicted based on the same incidents, received additional charges.
Mr. Liu, Mr. Chen and Mr. Cai were named in the first criminal case. They also pled innocent to the five counts brought by federal prosecutors.
Based on court documents, the alleged illegal gambling operations involving beto-beto , baccarat and big & small games began on July 1997 and continued until August of this year.
The suspects allegedly set up the VIP Casino in Garapan after Mr. Liu made an agreement with an unindicted co-conspirator Lam Kwong Yau alias “Albert Lam,” according to the documents.
Mr. Lam then was assaulted by the suspects when he planned to open a competing illegal gambling business. They also assaulted with dangerous weapons another illegal gambling operator Pierre Lam alias “A-Tsai” to force him to close his business also located in Garapan, the documents said. (BS)
