‘I was sick at the time,’ Packer tells casino inquiry
Billionaire James Packer has claimed being sick led to him sending a “shameful” email to a mystery businessman, the NSW casino inquiry has heard.
Billionaire James Packer blames sickness for a “shameful” email threat he sent to a mystery businessman in 2015, the NSW casino inquiry has heard.
Mr Packer admitted threatening the mystery businessman, Mr X, during his grilling at the NSW casino inquiry on Tuesday afternoon.
The NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority is probing explosive accusations of money laundering and Crown Resorts’ alleged links to organised crime.
Under cross examination by counsel assisting Adam Bell SC, Mr Packer admitted to sending email threats to Mr X during November 2015.
“Verbally, yes,” Mr Packer said.
Mr X was from a private equity firm Z Co, which was in talks at the time with Crown Resorts about a planned privatisation.
“You understood Mr X might be put in fear by those threats?” Mr Bell asked.
“No, that came as a surprise to me,” Mr Packer responded.
“You accept your conduct in these communications was shameful?”
“I do,” Mr Packer replied.
Mr Packer could not recall if he was a director of Crown Resorts when he wrote those emails.
Mr Bell asked Mr Packer how the gaming regulator could have any confidence in his character or integrity given their content.
“Because I’m being treated now for my bipolar,” he said.
“I was sick at the time.”
Mr Packer said he resigned from Crown Resorts a few weeks later because he was sick.
Mr Bell asked why the real reason for his resignation was withheld from shareholders.
“I’d hoped it’d stay a private matter,” he said.
Mr Packer earlier told the inquiry he has suffered from significant health issues for some years and is on medication that impairs his ability to recall events, including the period when he was director of Crown Resorts.
During earlier cross examination, Mr Packer’s lawyer Noel Hutley SC protested against the email communications being made public.
The dispute forced the inquiry to go off air to the public while Commissioner Patricia Bergin SC considered the matter.
“We submit there’s important public interest in these matters being reviewed and they’re relevant in a number of respects to the matters which the inquiry is considering,” Mr Bell argued.
Mr Hutley responded that Mr Packer’s communications should not be publicly shared as evidence.
“These communications took place at a state of deep personal crisis of my client. There’s no public interest in disclosing them,” he said.
The NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority inquiry is looking into allegations published in various media outlets from late July 2019 that Crown Resorts’ casinos were used to launder money, anti-money laundering controls were not rigorously enforced and gambling laws were breached.
It is also alleged its casinos or subsidiaries were associated with junket operators linked to drug traffickers, money launderers, human traffickers and organised crime groups.
The high-stakes inquiry is now investigating whether Crown is fit to keep its casino licence for the new $2.4 billion Barangaroo casino and hotel development.
The inquiry has adjourned and Mr Packer will return for questioning at 10am on Wednesday.