June 1, 2016

Sheldon Adelson’s Casino Company Settles Major Lawsuit That Prompted Federal Investigation

The settlement, reported at over $75 million, was announced just days before the lawsuit was to go on trial.

David Becker/ZUMA

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Las Vegas Sands Corp., the casino company controlled by Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson, agreed on Tuesday to settle a wrongful termination lawsuit by Steve Jacobs, a former Macau executive, who claimed he was fired after refusing orders to perform “illegal activities,” including secretly investigating Macau government officials.

The lawsuit, which prompted a federal investigation into corruption and organized crime inside Adelson’s casino empire, was set to go to trial in September. The Wall Street Journal reports the company paid between $75 to $100 million to settle with Jacobs.

In April, Adelson agreed to pay $9 million to settle a separate, five-yearlong Securities and Exchange Commission bribery investigation looking into the casino magnate’s Chinese properties. He did not admit any wrongdoing.

Read Mother Jones‘ deep-dive investigation into the lawsuit, and how Adelson’s Macau dealings are influencing the current presidential election.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the trial’s scheduled date.

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We can afford to take our time because we don’t report to oligarchs or corporations. We report to you, and for you.

And the stakes are high. Democracy is on the defense. We’ve been exposing corruption and scandal for five decades, and this is a pivotal moment in our country’s history. Will democracy prevail? We won’t wait for time to tell—independent journalism is essential for democracy, and we’ll keep doing our part to amplify the free press.

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