No Luck for Former Macau Casino Junket Boss in Bid to Reduce Prison Sentence
The Macau Court of Final Appeal has upheld the 13-year prison sentence for Levo Chan Weng Lin, the former leader of the Tak Chun Group, a former Macau casino junket operator. The ruling confirms Chan's sentence in connection with charges of criminal association, illicit gambling operations, and money laundering.
Levo Chan Weng Lin, the imprisoned leader of the defunct Macau casino junket operator Tak Chun Group, in a public appearance. (Source: Macau News)
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The court also finalized compensation payments to the Macau government. Chan, who was also the co-chairman of Macau-based gaming company Macau Legend, will have to pay HKD1.83 billion (US$235.2 million), a reduction from the amount ordered by a subordinate court.
Chan's case involved allegations of operating an illegal gambling network and engaging in other criminal activities alongside four other defendants. The court also confirmed nine-year prison sentences for two more defendants, as well as a 10-year and seven-year sentence for two others. The decision marked the final resolution of a series of legal proceedings stemming from the Tak Chun-related case.
The Public Prosecutions Office had sought to increase the prison sentences for the defendants, arguing that the initial rulings were insufficient given the severity of the offenses. However, the Court of Final Appeal dismissed the prosecution's appeal, maintaining the prison terms previously determined. Simultaneously, the court rejected appeals from the defendants seeking reduced sentences, solidifying the outcomes established in earlier rulings.
This case dates back to January 2022, when Chan and several associates were arrested on charges that included membership in a criminal organization, operating illicit gambling schemes, defrauding the Macau Special Administrative Region government and licensed casino operators, and money laundering. Initially, nine individuals faced charges, but the Court of First Instance later acquitted four of them. Chan and the remaining defendants were convicted of multiple charges, with their penalties upheld through successive appeals.
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In January of last year, Macau's Court of Second Instance reduced Chan's aggregate prison sentence from 14 years to 13 years. During that proceeding, the court also acquitted him and the other defendants of fraud charges, overturning a previous decision by the Court of First Instance. The reduction of penalties and the acquittals on some charges were among the points challenged in the appeal to the Court of Final Appeal.
The Court of Final Appeal's ruling also adjusted the financial penalties imposed on the defendants. It reduced the collective compensation to be paid to the Macau government from HKD2.49 billion to approximately HKD1.63 billion, citing revised calculations of illicit gains. Additionally, Chan and two other defendants were ordered to pay an additional HKD201.3 million to the government for further illicit earnings attributed to their activities.
The court emphasized that the criminal association charge was proven against all five defendants, underscoring their roles in a structured operation designed to evade legal oversight. The illicit gambling and money laundering charges were also upheld, cementing the basis for their convictions and sentences.
The decision closes, alongside that of former Suncity Group boss Alvin Chau, one of the most high-profile cases involving Macau's casino junket operators, which have come under increased scrutiny in recent years for alleged links to organized crime and unregulated gambling activities.
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