The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently arrested Cui Lijie, a controlling shareholder of Imperial Pacific International Holdings (IPI), on Saipan. The 68-year-old Chinese national and Hong Kong resident is currently detained at a U.S. correctional facility in Susupe, Saipan. The Saipan casino project she once led has already ended due to debt and compliance issues. Related cross-border gambling regulatory cases can be referenced on the PASA official website.
The Arrest: Visa Expiry Likely the Key Reason
Although ICE has not publicly disclosed the specific reasons for Cui Lijie's arrest, according to the Pacific Times analysis, as a foreign investor in a U.S. territory, she needed to hold a valid E-2C long-term investor visa, which likely expired, becoming the core factor triggering the arrest.
Cui Lijie's background is quite controversial: In 2018, Forbes listed her as an entrepreneur with a net worth of $1.1 billion. Her son, Ji Xiaobo (a former executive of Macau's Hengsheng Group), was indicated as the "behind-the-scenes promoter" of the Saipan casino project. This arrest not only exposes personal compliance risks but also brings the already quiet IPI company back into the public eye.
The Rise and Fall of the Casino: From High Global Revenue to a $12.9 Million Fire Sale
The "Pacific Palace Casino" under IPI on Saipan had a brief moment of glory. In 2017, its VIP rooms with an average of 18 gambling tables generated a betting volume of $49.5 billion, with the betting amount per table even surpassing those in Macau and Las Vegas casinos. However, the good times did not last long, and the project quickly fell into multiple crises:
Operational Halt: In March 2020, the project was shut down due to the pandemic, and the $600 million seaside resort was still unfinished. The project was completely halted in 2021 and never restarted;
License Revocation and Delisting: In 2023, the Northern Mariana Islands Gaming Commission suspended its license. In 2024, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange delisted it, and in April of the same year, IPI filed for bankruptcy protection, disclosing debts exceeding $165.8 million;
Asset Fire Sale: In February 2025, Team King Investment LLC purchased all of IPI's assets for just $12.9 million, a depreciation of over 98% compared to the initial $600 million investment.
Controversies: Money Laundering and Forced Labor Allegations
The decline of IPI was also accompanied by numerous compliance controversies, further accelerating the project's collapse:
Money Laundering Allegations: The company has long been suspected of abnormal fund movements, becoming a key investigation target for regulatory authorities;
Forced Labor Lawsuit Loss: In May 2021, IPI lost a lawsuit in which employees accused it of human trafficking and forced labor, requiring it to pay nearly $5.92 million in compensation to seven Chinese workers (including $2.95 million in punitive damages);
Debts and Unpaid Fees: The company not only defaulted on contractor payments but also failed to pay license fees and regulatory fees for a long time, leading to a license suspension in 2021 due to unpaid fees of $24 million.
These controversies have turned IPI from a "new star in Saipan gambling" into a "problematic enterprise," and Cui Lijie's arrest seems like the final outcome of her long-term compliance deficiencies.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gambling industry news channel: https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel: https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
