New Zealand authorities have seized millions of dollars’ worth of assets from a high-rolling gambler and his partner who apparently had minimal declared income and also were receiving government assistance.
According to the New Zealand Herald, no criminal charges were filed against HI Wei Yang, who had a gambling turnover of $14 million at the SkyCity Casino, despite a stated income of just $4,217 during the same 19-month period.
The suspect also bought a home for $1 million in cash and had several bank accounts totaling nearly $700,000. He has been called a “substantial wholesaler” of pseudoephedrine, the drug used to manufacture methamphetamine, following one of the largest undercover drug stings ever conducted in New Zealand. According to High Court judges, Yang “may have been involved in pseudoephedrine dealing in New Zealand from about 2009.”
Tapped phone calls indicate that his partner, Chao Ying “Anna” Chen, took control of the drug dealing after Yang left the country in 2013. He has not returned to face charges.
Chen, too, “had a modest income,” the court noted. “Indeed, she was in receipt of state-funded benefits” that totaled $34,000 over three years. “However, there were significant assets under her control, including thousands of dollars in bank accounts.” Chen owned two mortgage-free homes, which have now been forfeited.
A spokesman for SkyCity declined to comment on the latest ruling, but in a previous statement said, “We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously. We place a very strong emphasis on surveillance and security, spending millions of dollars on this each year. We work
