Sheldon Adelson, Chairman of Las Vegas Sands Corp., has been listed as a witness for a Monday hearing in a lawsuit started by former Sands China CEO Steven Jacobs.
Back in 2010, Mr. Jacobs took the major gambling operator to court, claiming that he was wrongfully fired, as he refused to engage in what he called illegal activities. The former CEO further explained that he was asked to acquire information about Macau officials that could harm their reputation, if not in the right hands.
Mr. Jacobs also suggested that Mr. Adelson himself had approved a prostitution condoning strategy at Macau-based casinos.
The Las Vegas Sands Chairman, in turn, repeatedly denied all allegations. He also pointed out in a declaration issued back in 2013 that the investigation of certain Macau officials was in fact commenced by Mr. Jacobs himself.
In addition, the gambling operator explained in various court filings that Sands China’s former CEO had his contract terminated because he had been involved in unauthorized activities and had violated the company’s working policy.
Mr. Jacobs was given court permission to use as evidence a report compiled by a Hong Kong-based analyst who was looking for relations between Sands China officials and the local organized crime.
The former Sands China CEO explained in court filings that the aforementioned consultant’s findings would shed light on the fact that the company has “serious political and legal” issues.
Previously, Mr. Adelson had filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Jacobs in Florida, where the latter has been based for quite some time now. The case, however, was dismissed last year.
In addition, Sands China’s lawsuit related to the removal of Nevada District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez was dismissed as well. The gambling operator claimed that Judge Gonzalez was biased and her decisions would be affected by her distaste for the company.
Sands China requested her removal after back in March, she ruled that the company would not be permitted to call witnesses at Monday’s hearing.
According to official information, the purpose of this hearing is for the court to determine whether Sands China, which has been registered on the Cayman Islands and is currently listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, can be sued in the United States and in Nevada, to be more precise.
Sands China claimed that Mr. Jacobs should not be allowed to proceed with his Nevada lawsuit, as the company does not operate on the territory of the state.
As for Mr. Jacobs, he commented that the evidence which is to be presented at the hearing would reveal that Las Vegas Sands and Mr. Adelson controlled Sands China’s operations in Macau. Furthermore, the former executive would prove that it was Mr. Adelson himself who ordered the above-mentioned investigations.
