Magic Palace Casino Montreal Shut Down, Denies Links to Sinaloa Cartel
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) has closed pull down the Magic Palace Montreal and suspended its gaming certify as a outcome of an on-going money laundering investigation.
The casino, based inward the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, crossways the river from Montreal, Canada, says it plans to invoke the decision.
Tribal law arrived at the casino on Monday, told customers to leave, and shut the doors. The KGC said inward a statement it had taken the activeness because of “numerous concerns arising come out of investigations conducted o'er the yesteryear several months.”
“The gist of this directive is that Magic Palace must straightaway closely all of its gaming trading operations — including both Electronic Gaming Devices and Poker Room tables — pending further determination by the Commission,” the release reads.
Sinaloa Allegations
In October 2023, La Presse reported that an investor inward Magic Palace, Albanian-born Luftar Hysa, “recycles money from Mexican traffickers and that he uses a casino inwards Kahnawake to make so.”
Hysa is beingness investigated inwards trine countries for links to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, i of the most powerful and violent drug-trafficking organizations in the world, according to tribunal documents seen past La Presse.
Everything indicates that Luftar Ali Hysa infiltrated the Kahnawake Red Indian reservation to alleviate money laundering activities on behalf of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, as substantially as for his possess account,” an RCMP officer told the Montreal courthouse below oath, according to La Presse.
The gaming charge inwards Oct found Hysa unsuitable to live licensed as a paint person, and the Magic Palace seemingly severed ties with him.
‘Undisclosed Beneficiary’
Meanwhile, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake hired a U.S. strong specializing inwards gambling casino audits to investigate. In a statement Tuesday, the council said the investigation revealed in that respect was an “undisclosed beneficiary owner of the Magic Palace” who isn’t a fellow member of the Mohawk First Nation.
The beneficiary exercised important contain over the casino and received most of its profits, according to the council. This would follow a violation of the terms of the casino’s correct to operate on the reservation, which must live for the goodness of the community, the council said.
Lawyer Pierre L’Ecuyer represents Magic Palace owners Barry Alfred and Stan Myiow. He confirmed that Hysa was an “investor” inward the casino, but suggested the RCMP gave “false information” to the gaming military commission well-nigh cartel links.
“[Hysa] had some allegations made inwards Mexico where he has some casinos,” L’Ecuyer told La Presse. “Mr. Hysa has been completely cleared and it was unmortgaged that these allegations were made because people in the same business organization wanted Mr. Hysa come out of the business.”
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