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A poker pro arrested for operating a World Cup betting ring out of a Las Vegas resort was San Marino’s ambassador to the city state of Montenegro for three years before having that status revoked due to the allegations lodged against him.
Paul Phau and his son Darren were two of eight individuals charged with running the illegal sports betting operation earlier this month. The FBI claims that Paul Phua, 50, is a high-ranking member of the Hong Kong-based 14K Triad, one of the largest criminal syndicates in the world. He is also a regular on the Macau high-stakes poker circuit and considered a major operator of junkets to that gambling mecca.
On July 9, 2014, federal search warrants were executed at the three Las Vegas villas where Phau allegedly ran his World Cup betting ring. Law enforcement agents recovered gambling records, computer equipment, and other items. Phau had been arrested for illegal sports betting and released from jail a year earlier in Macau.
The San Marino Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the South China Morning Post Wednesday that Phua held a diplomatic passport since 2011. He is a citizen of Malaysia and US authorities had threatened to deport the elder Phua prior to his late Monday release. Immigration officials will make that determination at a later date.
Poker pros Phil Ivey and Andrew Robl posted the initial $2.5 million to have the father son tandem released on bond related to the gambling charges but US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately placed the two men back into custody.
Montenegro is a UN-member nation in Southeastern Europe with a population of 625,266.
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com
