Millionaire Chinese high roller Linong Ma settles $6 million lawsuit against SkyCity Adelaide and two gambling junket operators

A $6m-plus, Hollywood heist-like lawsuit involving SA’s casino, missing chips, an escort and alleged Triad links has ended with a judge calling the lone holdout’s bluff.

A millionaire Chinese gambler who claimed he was swindled out of about $6 million has scored a trifecta, ending his six-year, three-way legal war without a trial.

Since 2019, high roller Linong Ma has feuded with SkyCity Adelaide and two men involved in overseas gambling junkets over claims straight out of a Hollywood heist movie.

The Supreme Court has heard allegations of million-dollar hot streaks, safety deposit boxes, an escort, stolen chips, torn-up receipts and “suspected Triad gang hits”.

A millionaire Chinese gambler’s lawsuit against SkyCity Adelaide, and two other men, has been resolved after six years. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The Advertiser can now reveal Mr Ma has reached confidential settlements with the casino over its alleged negligence, and with Xiongming Xie over his alleged fraud.

It can also reveal the Supreme Court has awarded summary judgment against Chinese gambling junket operator Fang Zhuangqian, who never took part in mediation.

Mr Ma – a millionaire from Hong Kong and Shanxi province, China – had accused SkyCity of “breach of trust”, and Mr Xie of fraud.

In his statement of claim, he alleged their misconduct arose during a May 2019 gambling junket that had been organised by Mr Zhuangqian.

To participate, Mr Ma alleged, he transferred Chinese currency to Mr Xie, who would make it accessible in Australian dollars for use at casinos.

Mr Xie would allegedly also arrange “an escort or hostess” for Mr Ma, and receive a commission “calculated as a proportion” of his winnings.

The lawsuit accused Xiongming Xie of fraud, which he denied. Picture: Supplied

Mr Ma alleged that, after winning $5,048,500 on a $1 million stake, the hostess stopped him from cashing out his chips, which were placed in a security deposit box.

He further alleged Mr Xie then cancelled the hostess’ “authority to act on his behalf”, after which another person tried to deposit Mr Ma’s chips.

That person’s receipt “was torn up”, he alleged, and SkyCity then took the chips “from the safety deposit box and deposited them with Mr Xie”.

Mr Xie, he alleged, returned only $1.46 million of his winnings.

Mr Ma then sought freezing orders on Mr Xie’s two Sydney properties, claiming he had been arrested in that city a month after the alleged casino incident.

“(Mr Xie) allegedly threatened a man with a knife, demanded the transfer of a $10 million property and stabbed the man almost to death,” Mr Ma alleged.

“The press and media widely reported a suspicion, attributed to NSW Police, that the alleged criminal conduct of Mr Xie was ‘part of a suspected Triad Asian crime gang hit’.’’

SkyCity, which denied the allegations, has settled the case out of court. Picture: Russell Millard

In its court papers, SkyCity claimed it did not have to pay Mr Ma the entirety of the winnings because of a “revenue sharing agreement” between it and Mr Fang.

Mr Fang, meanwhile, alleged such an agreement was “never duly executed”, while Mr Xie claimed he had no involvement in the May 2019 junket.

In court this week, counsel for Mr Ma said their client had settled his claims, under confidentiality, with SkyCity and Mr Xie.

Justice Laura Stein said Mr Zhuangqian’s non-participation in mediation was unacceptable and warranted a default judgment in favour of Mr Ma.

“I’m satisfied Mr Zhuangqian has committed serious and repeated breaches of court orders (to participate in mediation),” she said.

“He has manifested inability or unwillingness to defend this (legal) action … judgment in default, for damages to be assessed, is granted.

“I congratulate the other parties on resolving this matter, which would have been tricky (at trial) given all the interpreters required … the court is grateful.”

Originally published as Millionaire Chinese high roller Linong Ma settles $6 million lawsuit against SkyCity Adelaide and two gambling junket operators