Crown’s board hits back at claims of money laundering, visa fast-tracking and organised crime links

Claims of money laundering, fast-tracked visas and sex trafficking have engulfed the casino giant. Now their corporate heavyweights have hit back in an advertising blitz. READ THE STATEMENT

Crown’s corporate heavyweights have launched an advertising blitz to downplay claims of money laundering and organised crime links which have engulfed the casino.

Crown’s directors, including ex-AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and former communications minister Helen Coonan, have signed an advertisement labelling the allegations as a “deceitful campaign”.

The federal government ordered a powerful inquiry this week after the casino was engulfed in a storm over its use of junket operators to bring Chinese high-rollers to Australia, with reports of money laundering, fast-tracked visas and sex trafficking.

Former AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou is a Crown director. Picture: David Caird.

The Crown board’s fiery ad, in today’s Herald Sun, says the casino no longer deals with the junket operators involved “apart from one local player”, as it blames “unbalanced and sensationalised reporting”.

It comes as the Herald Sun can reveal Crown donated almost $1.5 million to Australia’s major political parties over the last decade.

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien called on the gambling regulator to publicly probe the scandal, saying the allegations “potentially go right to the top of government and that means we need to know the truth”.

The Herald Sun revealed yesterday that Daniel Andrews’s former China adviser had set up a business with Tom Zhou, the junket operator at the centre of the saga.

It has also emerged that a current advisor to Mr Andrews is an honorary adviser of a golf association chaired by Mr Zhou.

Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said Victoria would let the federal probe “do its job” but the government was “always open” to boosting the regulator’s powers and resources.

The Crown board — which includes businessman Harold Mitchell, ex-Qantas boss Geoff Dixon and executive chairman John Alexander — also argues:

CASINO management believed they were “at all times” operating legally in China before staff were detained in 2016.

CROWN has a comprehensive anti-money laundering program and “welcomes the opportunity” to assist the Australian Commissioner for Law Enforcement Integrity’s investigation.

A WHISTLEBLOWER arrested in China who appeared on 60 Minutes had a “very junior position” and “unsuccessfully demanded” compensation from Crown, while questioning whether she was paid for the interview.

CROWN never “sought to circumvent visa requirements”.

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It comes as federal Labor MP Julian Hill called on the government to reveal whether two staffers who failed high-level security checks worked for ministers or had been elected to state or federal parliaments.

“They are important questions and the Coalition can quickly put to bed any current concerns regarding its staff or MPs by providing a response,” Mr Hill said.

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