Pacific / Northern Marianas

CNMI casino fails to pay workers

11:59 am on 3 July 2015

For the second time in several weeks an embattled casino in the Northern Marianas has failed to pay its employees.

A Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino staff member, who has requested anonymity, says another delay is disappointing.

She is one of some 600 employees of the casino, mostly alien workers, who are owed wages.

Our correspondent reports that staff say there have been delays going back a year to when the U.S. government first filed criminal charges against Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investments, the owner of Tinian Dynasty.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network recently assessed a civil penalty of $US75 million against the owner for what it described as "willful and egregious violations of the Bank Secrecy Act."

Dynasty casino, Tinian, CNMI. Photo: RNZ / Mark Rabago