New documents reveal how Resorts World Las Vegas operated a money-laundering scheme that involved Argentinian football players and a well-known sports journalist.
Former Argentinian footballers Norberto Ortega Sánchez, Sergio Berti, Sergio Zárate and José Flores are facing civil lawsuits in the United States after the operator reported that gaming markers issued in their names were returned for insufficient funds.
According to the inquiry, the hotel was fined $10m by the Nevada Gaming Control Board in March 2025 following a regulatory investigation that found the property had operated with significant anti-money laundering compliance failures.
The settlement, which constitutes a regulatory sanction rather than a criminal conviction, is linked to a broader case involving Argentinian sports figures and a journalist who were allegedly brought to gamble at the venue by the same intermediary.
According to regulatory documents, the scheme centred on junket operators who recruited high-profile clients, offered them a fixed fee of $5,000 and directed their gambling activity, in some cases instructing them to deliberately lose.
Funds used at the tables were reportedly sourced from illegal betting networks and underground lenders. Once wagered inside the casino, the money re-entered the formal financial system disguised as legitimate gaming proceeds through cheques, wire transfers or casino credits.
Regulators found that Resorts World failed to apply required controls under Nevada law. The property did not adequately verify sources of funds, flag suspicious transactions or restrict high-risk clients, despite indicators that junket operators such as Matthew Bowyer, a known illegal bookmaker, were involved.
The board concluded that an internal culture prioritizing betting volume over compliance allowed the activity to continue for several years.
The case gained public attention after Argentinian sports journalist Enrique “Quique” Felman was arrested in Miami in February over an unpaid $300,000 debt to Resorts World.
Felman said he acted under the direction of Maximiliano Palermo, an Argentinian national with ties to the casino sector who allegedly coordinated up to 400 players and journalists per month to gamble at the venue.
Nevada regulators warned that further federal action could result in additional sanctions. As part of the settlement, Resorts World was required to overhaul its compliance systems.
One of those involved, a well-known Argentinian sports TV presenter, spent 13 days in custody before reaching a settlement to pay US$120,000, after which the case against him was dropped
