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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