Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire tycoon and owner of the Las Vegas Sands, lost his appeal in a defamation suit revolving around claims that he allegedly allowed prostitution to occur on the grounds of his casino in Macau. However, despite this claim, his image in the Republican party and in the eyes of many Chinese, has not been ruined, and he is still a highly influential figure in the West.
The claims that he had allowed prostitution in his Macau casino goes back to 2012, and it became big political news when it was discovered that Adelson was financially supporting Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) made an online petition urging Romney, then the Republican presidential candidate, not to take money from Adelson because of his openness to allowing prostitution in his casinos.
Furthermore, many feared that the Chinese were influencing the election through Adelson.
In Macau, prostitution is legal
In the territory of Macau, prostitution is legal. However, organizing or creating a brothel is illegal, and this is where the claims against Adelson come from. Steven Jacobs, the CEO of the Las Vegas Sand’s Asian branch, claimed that Adelson was running what he calls “a prostitution strategy.”
Jacobs was fired because he said he would not engage in these illegal acts. As a result of his termination, Jacobs sued Sands China and Adelson for wrongful termination back in 2010.
Sand’s China, in the end, decided to settle with Jacobs out of court and paid a settlement of $75 million.
The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC)
Many people believed that the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) was doggedly bent on trying to get people to think that Adelson was running a brothel. Adelson’s supporters believe that these accusations are malicious attacks on his character, without basis or evidence.
However, for many others, the fact that the Sands Asian unit settled out of court with Jacobs proves to validate their claim.
The Verdict
Despite the claims made against him at the end of the whole ordeal, Adelson’s case was dismissed. There was not enough sufficient evidence that he was running a brothel in his casino, and many people believe, including his supporters, that the accusations made against him were personal attacks and without merit.
According to the Associated Press:
The verdicts in Adelson’s libel lawsuit against the NJDC and his subsequent appeals came down to one very critical word. The NJDC said in its petition that “reports surfaced that Adelson ‘personally approved’ of prostitution in his Macau casinos.”
In spite of this, the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) still seeks to bring him to court over this claim and, at the moment, it is in a legal battle with Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP). The council believes the organization is trying to silence it.
Adelson is a prominent financial supporter of the U.S. Republican Party, as well as a highly influential figure on the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Board of Directors.
He is a man of high influence in the political world. Because of his image and status, there are many who believe he is simply just a target for criticism and allegation.
However, there are still many, mostly in the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), who believe that Adelson is getting away with unlawful acts. It is not that uncommon for people of high status to get away with these kinds of things. The fact that Jacobs was paid that hefty sum in the settlement is a primary reason why so many in the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) continue with this case.
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