Zahid’s letter on underworld kingpin withdrawn from court, says report
Published: 5 January 2015
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's letter to the FBI has been withdrawn from a US court . – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 5, 2015.Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Paul Phua We Seng was withdrawn from a Nevada District Court after Putrajaya objected to it being used for the defence of the accused gambling kingpin, Malaysiakini reported.
Phua's legal team said they were withdrawing the home minister’s letter after the Malaysian government said its contents were not for public consumption, according to the news portal.
"Earlier today, we submitted (in ECF No. 386) a letter sent by the Malaysian home minister to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"The government subsequently contacted us, objecting to the introduction of the letter because the record is closed.
"In light of the government's objection, we respectfully withdraw our prior submission," read the December 29, 2014, letter signed by Phua's attorney David Z. Chesnoff and also lawyers for his son, Thomas C. Goldstein and Richard Schonfeld.
Phua, a former Macau casino junket operator, was facing illegal sports betting charges in Las Vegas after being arrested during last year's FIFA World Cup football.
In the December 18, 2014, letter, Zahid claimed that Phua was not a member of the 14K Triad in Malaysia, refuting a court filing by the US Justice Department stating that he was a high-ranking member of the Asian organised-crime group.
The letter, addressed to FBI deputy director Mark F Giuliano, claimed Phua had also assisted Putrajaya on projects affecting national security.
However, Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told a press conference on Saturday that Zahid had not "vouched" for Phua in the letter, but was merely responding to a request by Phua’s lawyer to share any information directly with the FBI.
He pointed out that Zahid did not say in his letter whether Phua was innocent or guilty of the gambling offence for which he had been arrested in Las Vegas.
"Zahid found it necessary to correct the perception that Phua was a member of the 14K Triad in Malaysia as the claim against the latter had been vague," he said.
Shafee had said that for Zahid to provide such information to the FBI was not an exception, clarifying that he had asked the Home Minister to direct his letter directly to the FBI.
"The FBI have got their facts wrong, there is no 14K Triad in Malaysia," Shafee said, adding that Phua's trial had not yet begun and he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
He also said that Phua's alleged offence was merely a revenue offence as he was undertaking gambling activities without a licence.
On July 13, Phua was arrested for allegedly running an illicit gambling business out of the Caesars Palace villas in Las Vegas, four days after the FBI stormed the hotel villa to find him and his son watching the World Cup semifinal.
When the FBI entered the villa, the laptops of Phua, his son Darren and a third individual displayed betting websites showing the live odds for the match between Netherlands and Argentina, as well as instant messaging windows, Bloomberg reported.
In two adjacent villas, other members of Phua’s groups were found amid computers and monitors and three large-screen televisions showing football matches.
Citing federal prosecutors, Bloomberg reported that Phua and his associates were using the SBOBet and IBCBet sports betting websites to monitor odds and place bets. Neither of the online sport betting commission business were licensed to operate in Nevada.
Phua reportedly told federal agents that he had invested US$200 million (more than RM700 million) in the IBC website and that he had bet “between US$200 million and US$300 million in Hong Kong money” since arriving at the villa on June 23.
The father and son appeared in federal court in Las Vegas on August 5 and pleaded not guilty to the offence, before posting a bail of US$2.5 million in case bonds and Phua’s US$48 million Gulfstream G550 was secured as collateral.
The report stated that Phua was earlier arrested on June 18 in Macau with 20 others for operating an illegal sports book gambling business.
 |
| Home Minister Zahid Hamidi's Letter to the FBI |
But he had used his diplomatic passport, issued by the microstate of the Republic of San Marino, to fly to Las Vegas after posting bail. Phua was appointed by the San Marino as its ambassador to Montenegro. – January 5, 2015.
.jpg)
