In the good old bad old days of Las Vegas it was not uncommon for there to be bribes and cut backs passed back and forth. These bribes could bring anything from an “influential” investor to a blind eye from a commissioner. Thankfully, the days of that being the norm are long behind the city, which is more corporate than anything else now. However, in an attempt to keep the news juicy, and prominent casino in Australia has picked up where the gangsters left off. Several staff members of the Crown Casino have been accused of asking for and accepting bribes.
The idea behind the scheme was to collect bribes or longer working hours from employees who were hoping to gain positions, promotions, or favorable visa status. Most of those who paid the bribes were foreign workers and students who were hoping to get a favorable job so they may gain a permanent Australian work visa. “A few months ago we became aware there were allegations that some of our staff were being exploited,” said Crown Casino Spokesperson Gary O’Neill. He added, “Crown spends a huge amount of money and time recruiting and training its staff who come from a very broad section of the Melbourne community, both culturally and ethnically, and we will not stand for even one of them being exploited and we are treating the matter very, very seriously.”
Currently twelve Crown Casino staff members have been affected by the bribery scam. Three or four Crown Casino staff members including one that has been fired due to allegations are believed to be behind the illegal conduct. One foreign student brought the scam to the attention of authorities when he was asked to work more than the twenty hours permitted on his student visa. The dismissed staff member denies the allegations, and claimed that he had no idea why he was asked to leave. This scandal could bring months of legal proceedings for both the workers and the casino.
