A Malaysian Public Relations Officer working at a VIP club in a Cotai integrated resort has been arrested for allegedly forging documents and misappropriating HK$200,000 (US$25,600) from two mainland Chinese gamblers, according to Macao Daily.
The 37-year-old suspect, identified only as Tam, had been employed at the VIP room since August 2023. The Judiciary Police charged him with large-scale fraud and document forgery. The case is now with the Public Prosecutions Office.
Authorities say Tam forged the signature of one gambler to withdraw HK$100,000 from their casino account last Monday, which he then gambled away. To cover this loss, he manipulated a second patron’s account the same afternoon. While assisting this patron, Tam inserted an unauthorized HK$100,000 withdrawal slip into routine paperwork and deceived the individual into signing it.
He converted the withdrawn promotional chips into cash and redeposited the amount into the first gambler’s account to mask the initial theft.
The fraud came to light when the second patron noticed missing funds and filed a complaint. Tam was arrested later that day at the Cotai casino. He confessed, citing a gambling addiction as his motive.
Casino staff managing VIP accounts in Macau are required to strictly adhere to internal controls, especially concerning client funds and authorization procedures.
