High-Stakes Gambler Accuses Resorts World Las Vegas of Racketeering
A federal civil RICO lawsuit filed last week alleges Resorts World Las Vegas operated as a racketeering enterprise during its opening year.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The 95-page complaint, lodged in U.S. district court by high-stakes player Robert “R.J.” Cipriani and investor James Russell, accuses Resorts World, parent company Genting Berhad and a slate of current and former employees and associates of tolerating or facilitating criminal activity tied to casino operations in 2021. The filing targets company executives, surveillance and compliance staff, outside counsel, and a convicted fraudster who is central to the plaintiffs’ claims.
Cipriani contends he repeatedly warned Resorts World personnel in 2021 about suspicious wagering and money flows involving certain patrons, including Brandon Sattler, and that he was retaliated against after raising those concerns with both casino management and law enforcement. The complaint points to Cipriani’s arrest on the casino floor in November 2021 – a charge later dismissed – as evidence of efforts to silence him.
Named defendants include Genting Berhad; Resorts World Las Vegas; former Resorts World chairman KT Lim; former RWLV president Scott Sibella; Las Vegas attorney David Chesnoff; former compliance executive Matthew Forbes; surveillance employees Joseph Tatonetti and Tonya Henderson; former casino host Doni Taube; hotel employee Elie Samarani; and Brandon Sattler, who was later convicted in an unrelated federal investment-fraud case and is serving a sentence.
The complaint accuses attorney David Chesnoff of "arranging and disguising investments in Resorts World business on behalf of known criminals and prohibited persons", and alleges Sibella approved those arrangements and received a financial benefit. Russell separately asserts that Resorts World permitted Sattler to wager millions of dollars sourced from investor loans without adequate anti-money laundering (AML) scrutiny, contributing to Russell’s losses on a more than $10 million loan to Sattler.
Regulatory actions already connected to the period described in the suit bolster parts of the plaintiffs’ narrative. In March, Nevada gaming regulators fined Resorts World $10.5 million for AML and recordkeeping failures dating to the same timeframe. Sibella, who left Resorts World before that enforcement action, later pleaded guilty in a separate federal matter tied to AML lapses during his time overseeing MGM Grand and ultimately lost his Nevada gaming license.
Scott Sibella responded to the new filing by calling the complaint "ridiculous" and saying it "has no merit whatsoever". The suit does not bring new criminal charges; it is a civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claim, which carries stringent proof requirements and often requires extensive discovery to substantiate pattern-of-racketeering allegations.
Requests for comment to Chesnoff, Resorts World and Genting were not answered prior to filing. The complaint rests heavily on prior regulatory findings and public records, but civil RICO plaintiffs still face a high evidentiary bar to show that the defendants operated an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Related: Resorts World Unveils Largest Integrated Resort Plan in NY
Wynn Al Marjan Island Tour Bolsters Investor Sentiment
Separately, industry analysts returned from a site tour of Wynn Al Marjan Island in the United Arab Emirates optimistic about the resort’s prospects, calling it a major growth project for Wynn Resorts and the first legalized casino complex in the country.
Analyst Daniel Politzer of J.P. Morgan described the visit as successful for Wynn’s investor relations effort, saying the project "is a compelling development project that should also benefit from the secular tailwind of global wealth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals relocating to the UAE". Jeffries analyst David Katz added: "The key success factors for integrated resorts-macro, governance, infrastructure – rare generally favorable by historical measures."
The $5.1 billion project is reported to be mostly contracted or spent on materials and labor, with construction milestones including completion of tower structural concrete and significant progress on façade glazing. Wynn expects the resort to open in 2027 with about 1,500 slot machines and 265 table games, positioning it comparably to Wynn Las Vegas while operating in a regulated monopoly market that may support lower promotional intensity.
Related: Resorts World Las Vegas Lays off 50 Employees, Could Release Hundreds More
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Industry observers say the Resorts World filing will likely prompt aggressive discovery and could shed new light on how Las Vegas casinos managed AML controls during a period of rapid growth and high-roller activity. Legal experts note that civil RICO suits can be used to force document production and testimony, but do not substitute for criminal prosecutions; regulators, meanwhile, retain the authority to pursue additional administrative or enforcement measures if new misconduct is substantiated.
For Genting and Resorts World, potential outcomes range from protracted litigation and reputational damage to further regulatory scrutiny and fines. Investors and high-value patrons will be watching closely for how the company reinforces compliance, revises surveillance and AML procedures, and responds to discovery demands. The case is expected to unfold over months, if not years, as plaintiffs seek to prove the existence of an enterprise and a pattern of racketeering activities tied to casino operations during Resorts World’s inaugural year.
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