Former Casino Boss Sibella Faces Federal Investigation Over Alleged Illegal Gambling Activities

Scott Sibella, erstwhile president of Resorts World Las Vegas and MGM Grand, is ensnared in controversy arising from allegations lodged by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). In a bombshell announcement made Tuesday, the NGCB unveiled a three-count formal complaint. The accusations insinuate that Sibella played a game of tacit cooperation with illicit bookies, enabling significant gambling activities at the MGM Grand, void of questioning the origin of their lavish funds.

The seemingly high-rolling bookies in question are Wayne Nix and Matt Bowyer, both known for their flourishing presence at Sibella’s exclusive events, aptly dubbed “Scott Sibella Undercover Weekends.” These VIP-heavy gatherings were fruits of Sibella’s stint on the popular CBS reality show, Undercover Boss.

However, Sibella’s tenure at Resorts World came to an abrupt end in September 2023, following charges of breaching company policies. Fast-forwarding to January, he pleaded guilty to federal charges relating to the violation of the Bank Secrecy Act. The charges were directly linked to the allegations currently holding him hostage. With sentencing next on the docket, Sibella finds himself in stormy waters.

Initially, the NGCB seemed to drop the ball in the handling of the Sibella case. Last year, in the face of information tying him to the bookies, the regulatory authority absolved the casino tycoon, branding the allegations as “unsubstantiated.”

However, the tables have turned, and the NGCB finds itself in concert with an expansive federal investigation. The probe is digging into the layers of suspected money laundering, stacked within the glamorous walls of Las Vegas casinos, courtesy of illegal bookmaking proceeds. The investigation has now ensnared Matt Bowyer, implicated via a $16 million receipt from the bank account of Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani. This hefty sum is believed to have been unlawfully pilfered by Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizhura.

The NGCB’s multi-faceted accusation against Sibella includes a failure to file a suspicious transaction report (STR) in 2018, when Nix, a notorious bookie, settled a marker at the MGM Grand with a staggering $120,000 in cash. Sibella, then at the helm of the casino, confessed to federal agents his reluctance to question the source of funds. Any inquiry, he believed, would have resulted in halting Nix’s activities at the casino.

Further counts added to the complaint detail Sibella knowingly turning a blind eye to Nix’s illicit funding source and violating MGM Resorts’ stringent anti-money laundering protocols. The consequences could be severe, possibly leading to Sibella’s forfeiture of his gaming license and a steep fine of nearly $750,000.

Wayne Nix, formerly a minor league baseball pitcher-turned-illegal bookmaker with clientele spanning professional sports players, has admitted to his illegal gambling activities, leaving him dangling on the precipice awaiting sentencing.

In the heart of the MGM Grand, Sibella’s Controversial ‘Undercover Weekends’ were a tapestry of VIP’s whisked beneath the glimmer of the casino sun. Nix and Bowyer were among the exclusive guests, courted by Sibella for his opulent affairs, according to the complaint. To keep Nix hooked to the casino’s allure, he was treated to complimentary golf trips with senior executives.

An exhaustive investigation executed by ESPN shed light on movements of Ohtani’s bank account. Resultantly, it was revealed that funds transacted there flowed into Las Vegas and California casinos, prominently including Resorts World.

Insiders shared with ESPN that Mizhura wired the alleged stolen funds to an associate of Bowyer. The associate, in turn, channelled these funds towards marker accounts at Resorts World and Northern California’s Pechanga Casino. The money, converted to chips, fueled their gambling, with remaining funds cashed out.

Bowyer’s gambling spree at Resorts World appears costly. Between June 2022 and October 2023, he burnt through a staggering $7.9 million, according to sources from ESPN. This saga continues to reverberate through Las Vegas’s glittering casino facades, promising further revelations in the days to come.