Murren, who traveled to Resorts World, knew about questionable players in 2019 • Nevada Current

Former MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren, who is taking over the financially troubled Resorts World Las Vegas, according to a news release, In 2019, the company was aware of allegations that company executives, including then-MGM Grand President Scott Sibella, turned a blind eye to players with questionable sources of income, according to Current newspaper reported in January.

“…I have seen a lot of inappropriate and illegal behavior on MGM properties,” player RJ Cipriani wrote in an email to Murren on January 28, 2019, which was copied to a number of MGM executives, including Sibella. and blindly copied to the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the FBI. The emails and associated text messages were included as exhibits in a 2020 suit.

MGM Grand is one of two casinos under investigation by federal authorities in California for allowing illegal sports bookmakers to gamble and pay off their gambling debts with ill-gotten winnings during Murren’s tenure. The company paid a $7.45 million fine this year as part of a non-prosecution agreement.

The other casino is Resorts World, which is also facing a complaint from Nevada gaming regulators and the possibility of a multimillion-dollar fine.

A Resorts World spokesperson did not immediately respond to Current’s request for comment on Murren’s hiring.

Cipriani wrote in the email that drugs and prostitutes were “allegedly provided to certain high rollers with criminal records who gamble with questionable bankrolls.” This behavior is overlooked because they waste eight-figure amounts of money on a single trip to MGM properties. I have several of their names. This involves Scott Sibella,” Cipriani wrote, and other MGM executives who have not been accused of wrongdoing.

“I am told that this inappropriate behavior has been going on for some time and is indicative of the MGM properties’ culture of increasing the bottom line by pleasing big players at all costs,” Cipriani wrote.

On January 28, 2019, the same day that Cipriani emailed Murren, MGM General Counsel John McManus responded to Cipriani and informed him that he was aware of the player’s message to Murren.

“We have begun an investigation into these serious allegations,” McManus wrote, asking Cipriani for assistance. “It will help us conduct a thorough and appropriate review if you can provide as much detail and corroborating evidence as possible.”

An MGM spokesperson says McManus referred Cipriani’s concerns to the GCB, but claims McManus was unaware of the allegations surrounding the Sibella and Know Your Customer protocols.

Sandra Douglass Morgan appointed In early January 2019 by then-Gov. Steve Sisolak, chairman of the GCB, did not respond to requests for comment on whether gambling regulators were investigating Cipriani’s claims. Douglass Morgan worked as an attorney for MGM prior to her appointment to the GCB. She is now president of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Kirk Hendrick, the current chairman of the GCB, would not say whether the agency has opened an investigation. Last year, before news of the federal investigation broke, the GCB exonerated Sibella after one Investigation in his alleged connections with undesirable players.

A month after Cipriani’s letter to Murren, Sibella, who held top positions at a number of MGM properties, left the company and reportedly voluntarily resigned as part of “MGM 2020.” Cost reduction initiative. It was canceled by Resorts World in September 2023, a month after the current premiere reported that federal authorities were investigating this property and MGM.

Murren announced he was leaving the company in February 2020 and later became Gov. Steve Sisolak’s point person on a COVID-19 initiative.

Murren will chair a board of directors established by Resorts World “to deepen and strengthen its leadership and advance its growth strategy,” the release said. Joining him on the board are former Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman AG Burnett, human resources director Michelle DiTondo and Genting CEO Kong Han Tan.

Las Vegas native Alex Dixon, CEO of Q Casino & Resort and Dubuque Racing Association, will serve as CEO beginning in January.

This story has been updated with additional information.