In 2022, Japanese pachinko billionaire and former ally of Steve Wynn, then-nemesis Kazuo Okada, raided the boardroom of his “former” Filipino estate, Okada Manila. Now a lower court has ordered his arrest for stealing funds from the coffers of the massive casino complex during the period of compulsory control of the property.
Orders were given Arrest for Okada along with a dozen of his other associates, including Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangc and Dindo Espeleta, for the crime of “skilled robbery,” according to reports from Asia.
Judges of the district court of first instance issued arrest warrants
Presiding Judge Hon. Regina Paz A. Ramos-Chávez of Section 274 of the District Court of First Instance issued the arrest warrants.
According to reports from Asian gaming media, the “skilled robbery” It is governed by Section 310 of the Revised Criminal Code of the Philippines and includes theft in cases of “gross breach of trust” and carries penalties heavier than any other type of theft.
Article 310. Qualified robbery. – The crime of qualified theft is punishable by penalties each two levels higher than those provided for in the previous article.
an article by Inside Asia Gaming claims to have received confirmation and further details from representatives of Okada Manila This suggests that the theft could be around PHP 500 million, or just over $9 million, and that the alleged theft was simply a siphoning of money from the casino treasury.
requests to stay or the delay in proceedings leading to the issuance of injunctions rejected by the judge However, the defendant could have appealed the decision to the Minister of Justice, as this appeal does not stay the proceedings on the basis of the judge’s interpretation of the appeal rule of the country’s National Public Ministry.
Judge Ramos-Chavez concluded that there was probable cause for the issuance of warrants against all of the defendants in the matter, stating: “Defendants’ counterclaims are evidentiary in nature and are best dealt with in a comprehensive proceeding.”
At the beginning of last year, the The Supreme Court of the Philippines has issued an order the Status Que Ante Order (SQAO), which effectively directed the current board members to temporarily restore the board of operators of Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment Inc (TRLEI) to its previous status. Removal of Okada from the board in 2017.
While the matter was still being reviewed for litigation and no direct transfer of control order had been issued by a certain date, that was enough for Okada employees to get organized a raid on the offices and will forcibly retake possession on May 31, 2022. Some 50 invaders took over the complexincluding private security guards and some Local Police Department.
The Justice Department ruled that Okada did not have the right to take coercive control of the casino
He The Justice Department ruled about three months after SQAO was not an imminent order They also did not give Okada the right to retake and control property by force, and in early September 2022 the ousted junta returned to their posts.
in the way Okada and others have been blamed Charges have been filed with “grave coercion” for physical removal of the existing plaque. However, it is possible The kidnapping allegations were dismissed. Okada flew to the Philippines and turned himself in to authorities when charges were brought. He was released on bail the same day. The group pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The TRAL-backed junta accused Kazuo Okada’s representatives in July 2022 Steal money from the cashier’s cage according to some reports, in response to the asset freeze.
Spring: Philippine court orders arrest of Kazuo Okada, Tonyboy Cojuangco, Dindo Espeleta and associates on aggravated theft chargesInside Asia Gaming, July 12, 2023
