Prosecutors in the Philippines have identified former Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Michael Robles and former Deputy Commissioner Al Argosino as the main suspects in a bribery scandal stemming from the illegal employment of more than 1,000 Chinese workers at a casino owned by veteran Macau gambling operator and junketeer Jack Lam.
Charges filed in a Philippine court name Argosino as the “main plunderer” in the 2016 case, in which Lam, founder and former chairman of Jimei International Entertainment, allegedly was invited to pay off government officials to secure the release of the workers, who had been arrested at Jimei’s Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino north of Manila for overstaying their visas.
An arrest order also was issued for Lam, who reportedly was not in the country at the time.
Argosino is accused of shaking down Lam for PHP100 million (US$1.8 million) through a local businessman and gambler named Wally Sombero, with Argosino and Robles receiving PHP50 million each. Argosino and Robles have since claimed they only accepted the money as evidence against Lam, but prosecutors have charged the two with plunder, accusing them of conspiring with Sombero to “criminally demand” payment from Lam.
The scandal ultimately led to Lam’s exit from Jimei and the revocation of Jimei’s gaming license at Fontana and the Fort Ilocandia Hotel in Laoag City.
Jimei has since changed its name to Starlight Culture Entertainment Group.
