Macau police detain Hong Kong couple over US$3m fake casino VIP room scam
Although initially hesitant, the investor was eventually convinced after being shown documents bearing company stamps and signatures and promised fixed monthly returns.
Macau.- Macau authorities have detained a Hong Kong husband and wife for allegedly promoting a sham casino VIP room investment that promised high yields and resulted in a non-resident investor losing about HK$28m (US$3.59m).
According to the Judiciary Police, the couple allegedly lured the investor with claims of 3 per cent monthly returns through a casino VIP room and used forged documents to suggest a partnership with a Macau casino. They also reinforced their claims by arranging on-site visits, during which the investor was introduced to staff and shown the purported workings of the business.
The investor, reported to be a middle-aged foreigner, met the duo through a friend in 2023. During their interactions, the male suspect allegedly told him that his Hong Kong-registered company had secured a contract to operate a VIP room at a Macau casino in the NAPE district and persuaded him to commit funds. Although initially hesitant, the investor was eventually convinced after being shown documents bearing company stamps and signatures and promised fixed monthly returns.
From November 2023 to April 2024, the investor made several transfers and payments to the couple, totalling CNY8.4m and HK$19m—roughly HK$28m (US$3.59m) in all. Early in the scheme, he reportedly received about HK$4m (US$513,000) in supposed profits. However, payments stopped after April 2024, and all efforts to obtain repayment were allegedly ignored, with the suspects refusing to return the funds. This prompted the investor to report the matter to Macau police in November.
Following investigations, police confirmed that the suspects’ company had no partnership with the casino and no VIP room contract existed. The documents provided by the couple were also found to be falsified, with irregularities in formatting and signatures. Furthermore, the company owned by the couple had never been operational and existed only on paper. Authorities determined that the early “returns” paid to the investor were likely drawn from the funds he had initially provided.
The couple were picked up by police as they re-entered Macau through the Border Gate, with officers seizing their company seals, two mobile phones, and HK$222,000 (US$28,500) in cash. They now face charges of large-scale fraud and document forgery. The probe remains active as investigators work to trace the financial trail involved in the scam.
