ICE Arrests Chinese Billionaire Owner of Failed Casino on US Island
ICE arrested Chinese billionaire Cui Lijie, owner of the bankrupt Imperial Pacific International casino on Saipan, due to immigration violations.Summary
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested Cui Lijie, a Chinese national and majority shareholder of the now-bankrupt Imperial Pacific International LLC, which operated the only casino on Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. The arrest occurred on suspicion of immigration violations, according to the Marianas Variety newspaper. Cui and her son previously made a fortune in the Macao junket industry before developing the Imperial Pacific Palace casino and a related hotel. The casino faced numerous controversies, including allegations of illegal employment of Chinese nationals, safety violations, and payments to local officials. It was forced to shut down in 2020 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2024. The arrest comes amid increased ICE efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. The future of the casino property, recently purchased by Team King Investment, remains uncertain.
(Source：Newsweek)