Crown Resorts employee released in China

Friday saw the release of the first of the 22 Crown Resorts employees arrested on gambling promotional-related allegations by the Chinese authorities in mid-October. Those detained included 15 local employees of the company and three managers visiting the operation from Crown’s Australian headquarters (see previous reports).

The Associated Press news agency identified the released detainee as Jenny Chiang, a 33-year-old Shanghai-based Chinese citizen who had worked for Crown for more than five years as an executive assistant.

The head of Crown’s VIP “high roller” acquisition team, Jason O’Connor, was among the three Australian managers, and apparently remains in detention despite Australian diplomatic approaches to the Chinese authorities.

The Chinese foreign ministry said the employees had been detained for suspected involvement in gambling crimes, but did not provide further details.

The AP report notes that Chinese law prohibits agents from organising groups of more than 10 Chinese citizens to gamble abroad…and the provision carries with it up to three years in prison for offenders.

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