The lawsuit surrounding Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sands, and former employee of Sands China Ltd. Steven Jacobs, has taken a turn which is sure to be a major blow to the 81 year-old Adelson. Adelson’s legal team was hoping to get the case moved to a Macau Court, but U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez ruled the case be held in Clark County District Court.
Jacobs alleges he was wrongfully terminated, and since then, a wide fallout including allegations of Adelson being linked to organized crime syndicates in Macau. While on the stand, Adelson did not mince his words, and described Jacobs as “pompous, arrogant and condescending.”
Legal analysts surmised if the case was heard in Macau, media and public access to all information surrounding the inner workings of the casino industry would have been restricted, due to the source of revenue it provides. Gonzalez said, “Judicial economy would be served by continuing this litigation in Nevada. Significant time and judicial resources of the court and the parties will have been wasted if Jacobs is required to reinstate this litigation in another forum.”
Adelson testified for four days and said to the court Jacobs should have been let go earlier because he “tried to kill the company.” To this, Jacobs’ legal team claimed Sands China business was actually conducted from Nevada by Las Vegas Sands Corp executives.
Judge Gonzalez determined what Adelson and Las Vegas Sands contributed to Sands China “goes far beyond the ordinary relationship of parent to subsidiary.” She continued, saying the company “has not made a compelling case that exercising jurisdiction over it would be unreasonable.” While no date has been set for the trial, it is expected Sands will pursue all options to appeal.
