Known in the UK’s tabloid media as the ‚body in a suitcase‘ killer, gambler Ming Jiang had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a judge that is british Tuesday. Jiang murdered his high-rolling friend Yiang Lui fall that is last order to assume their identification and steal his cash to further fund his own gambling play.
Ex-Lufthansa flight attendant Ming Jiang, left, brutally dismembered and murdered their friend Yiang Lui, right, to fund his out-of-control gambling practices.
Jiang, 43, killed and dismembered fellow Chinese national and successful investor that is financial, 36, final October, before stuffing his torso right into a suitcase, which he then set burning.
Judge John Potter described the former Lufthansa air steward as ‚highly dangerous,‘ informing Jiang that he would likely spend the sleep of his life in prison, as he passed down a minimum of 33 years before parole could even be considered.
‚You killed a gentle and kind man that is young … cunning for your own selfish want to feed your gambling habits,‘ said Potter. ‚You befriended this man and moved in the same social circles as him.
‚You were given status that is special some casinos, despite being banned from others for what is reported as your erratic behavior,‘ the judge added at Jiang’s sentencing. ‚ you came up with an idea which was chilling and which was a murder committed by you for personal gain.‘
$230,000 Gambling Spree
That plan involved leaving a suitcase that is smoldering into which Jiang had stuffed his former friend’s body parts, in a remote drivers‘ sleep area, before stealing Lui’s credit cards and passport in order to get access to their bank account. Then within times of the killing, the murderer started arrangements that are making a ‚quick purchase‘ of Lui’s Manchester apartment.
Jiang, who had been described by prosecutors as an ‚insatiable gambler,‘ had debts of £273,000 ($340,000) at two casinos at the right time of the killing, and was broke. Two weeks later, he bought £178,000 ($230,000) in chips with Lui’s money and went for a gambling bender.
Judge Potter felt no sympathy for the killer’s situation.
‚Your high-spending, high-rolling behavior was in fact a selfish and self-centered veneer, behind that you hid a life of increasing dependency on debt, that has been rapidly spinning out of control,‘ noted the judge.
Friends and Lovers
Police utilized license plate recognition technology to place Jiang’s vehicle near the scene associated with crime on the evening regarding the murder. They later found Liu’s DNA matched bloodstains in the trunk of Jiang’s vehicle.
Jiang told detectives which he and Liu were gay lovers about to enter right into a civil partnership and that Liu was also a paid escort for older Chinese men, an assertion dismissed by the prosecution as an ‚elaborate smokescreen of slurs.‘
‚Given the nature of this murder, I anticipate the [parole] authorities, at the appropriate time, should it ever be reached, will have to take into account with very great care the risk you provide to people,‘ summarized the judge.
State and Seminoles at Impasse, Efforts to Expand Florida Gambling Collapse
Legislation in Florida that appeared to be moving swiftly toward a comprehensive overhaul regarding the state’s gambling landscape stumbled on a screeching halt on Tuesday.
The Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood is one of seven casinos that are tribal could’ve been allowed to offer more games if they were willing to surrender some of their dominance in the state’s gambling spaces. (Image: Broward/Palm Beach New Times)
With differences between the home and Senate gaming bills too great to find ground that is common the Legislature’s close May 5, gambling within the state will discover no changes, at least for another year.
Had legislators found a path ahead, hawaii could’ve seen a casino that is new in Miami, horse and dog tracks (and jai alai frontons) abandoning races to operate slot machines, and the state’s seven Seminole casinos permitted to offer craps and roulette.
Two Paths Forward
The state government in Florida has been incentivized to come up with comprehensive gambling legislation ever since the state’s lightweight using the politically powerful Seminole tribe expired in 2015. Courts have allowed the agreement that is current; determining games permitted and income sharing utilizing the state — in which to stay effect through 2030.
The state has been eager to renegotiate these payments to address state budget shortfalls while the Seminoles have continued sending payments of about $20 million a month in good faith.
The Florida Senate bill would have allowed slots at dog and horse tracks across the continuing state, and would have allowed racetracks in South Florida to offer blackjack. In return for giving up their present blackjack monopoly, the Seminoles would have been authorized to create two new casinos in South Florida.
A residence Bill took a different approach, using the Seminoles guaranteeing $3 billion to the state over seven years when they could maintain their monopoly on blackjack, with no new slot parlors or casinos in South Florida. This option would’ve resulted into the richest Native American gaming agreement in US history. But alas, with so many interests wanting to reshape the Florida landscape, none might get done.
One step that is big
One disappointed stakeholder is Genting Group, the Malaysian casino giant that bought the old Miami Herald property in 2011 with designs on transforming it into a luxury destination resort.
This all could be moot, however. The Florida Supreme Court is deciding an incident in July which includes racetracks in the north of hawaii challenging a prohibition against slots after local voters approved them.
The decision would invalidate key elements of the Seminoles‘ current compact granting exclusive rights for offering certain games outside of South Florida if the court rules in favor of slot interests in the panhandle.
Regardless how this case works out, with so much cash on the line, Florida residents and tourists can make sure that gambling will once again be at issue when state lawmakers reconvene in per year.
Pennsylvania Gaming Expansion Drive Comes Sponsored by Amish County Rep
The latest Pennsylvania gaming expansion measure would allow bars, taverns, bowling alleys, fire halls, social clubs, truck stops, off-track betting parlors, and even strip malls to provide video that is slot-like machines of their establishments.
On their option to market, or gamble at the casino? Lancaster County State Rep. Mike Strula is pushing for Pennsylvania gaming expansion, and that likely won’t sit well with the Amish constituents he represents. Fortunately for Sturla, the Amish typically don’t vote because of church directives, not to mention, nor do they gamble. (Image: Wikipedia)
It’s a new week, and that means new gaming talks in Harrisburg. The state takes on, what appears like for an basis that is almost weekly extra gambling bills to grow revenue.
The state has considered gaming that is online lottery solution sales, slot machines in airport terminals, daily fantasy sports, sports gambling, and now video gaming terminals (VGTs) at watering holes. The VGT measure, first introduced in March, received a hearing that is public the House Gaming Committee this week.
One of the prime backers of the VGT bill is State Rep. Mike Sturla (D-District 96). The Lancaster County representative is a lifelong resident of pennsylvania Dutch nation, famously house to a big population of Amish.
Needless to say, Sturla isn’t banking on his buggy-riding and horse constituents on opting to use gaming. Instead, the Lancaster native wants the general population to be able to play real money video gaming devices during their pleased hours, and regulate the VGTs already operating illegally into the state.
‚How do we legalize this activity making it beneficial to everyone involved?‘ Monday Sturla asked. ‚People have actually turned a blind eye to the fact that there is illegal video gaming currently going on in Pennsylvania.‘
Moral Opposition
HB 1010 has created plenty of backlash for motioning allowing up to 35,000 betting devices in organizations that would expose kids and potentially teenagers to gambling. Though Sturla and the bill’s prime sponsor, State Rep. Mark Mustio (R-District 44), say the legislation could generate $500 million yearly for hawaii when fully implemented, opponents are voicing concerns that are moral.
‚ The shopping center my young ones visit GameStop in might have 45 machines,‘ State Rep. Ed Neilson (D-District 169) critiqued.
Pennsylvania’s General Assembly approved a budget year that is last assumed $100 million in extra revenue from new video gaming. But the state hasn’t selected where especially that money is planning to come from, ergo the continued gambling conversations in Harrisburg.
Mustio and Sturla’s bill would mandate that the state receive 29 percent of daily gross terminal revenue generated by VGTs.
Gambling enterprises Oppose VGTs, Too
Pennsylvania is presently home to 12 land-based casinos that are commercial with a 13th potentially on your way in Gettysburg. But regardless of Penn National Gaming, which has Hollywood Casino near Harrisburg, the gaming operators largely oppose HB 1010.
The state’s 11 other casinos believe the measure would poach from their gaming floors while Penn National has embraced VGTs in other states where it operates, most notably Illinois. Mustio states the continuing state isn’t responsible for safeguarding the gambling enterprises.
‚Some have stated over the years that we’re partners using the casinos,‘ Mustio explained this week. ‚ i disagree with that. Within my opinion, we’re partners with our constituents.‘
The Pennsylvania House Gaming Oversight hasn’t announced when its next meeting might be, and whether a vote on HB 1010 would be on the agenda.
Hope for Crown Resorts Employees Caged in China, Charges Could be ‚Low amount‘
Fourteen Crown Resorts employees arrested in China, who have actually languished since October without charges in a grim detention center in Shanghai, have actually at final been given a glimmer of hope.
Crown Resorts‘ VP of VIP Jason O’Connor, the only executive member regarding the business’s employees detained in China on suspicion of gambling-related crimes. (Image: Crown Resorts)
According to the Australian Financial Review, the police research to the ‚gambling-related crimes,‘ of that your 14 are suspected, is currently complete and the full case has been handed to Shanghai’s Baoshan District People’s Procurator.
This implies charges will tend to be forthcoming soon, moving the process that is legal and at last offering some quality on the fate of the detainees.
More over, AFR notes that the reality the actual situation has been passed to a district rather than town procurator causes it to be more likely that authorities are pursuing lower-level charges against the 14, instead than serious offenses such as money laundering, which carry much harsher sentences.
Case for Lenient Sentences
It’s prompted hope that their plight could be treated in a similar method that of the group employees of South Korea’s of Grand Korea Leisure and Paradise Co, have been detained in 2015 for marketing casino gambling to Chinese residents and released after around 18 months.
In the event that Crown staff are charged simply with ‚gambling-related crimes,‘ they could face anything up to three years in prison, according to Si Weijiang, a Shanghai criminal lawyer, who spoke to AFR. But should charges be expanded to include money laundering they may be dealing with many, often times that amount, he said.
The detainees, who include three Australians, among them the business’s VP of VIP Operations Jason O’Connor, were detained by authorities in least four cities in the united states on October 13 and 14.
Oblique to Opaque
Since that time, their legal situation went from oblique to opaque, as several official due dates for filing charges having come and gone without action.
‚ The officials that are consular see, only address the prisoners‘ welfare, perhaps not legal issues,‘ The Australian’s China correspondent reported in February. ‚Their lawyers aren’t saying anything, though they might maybe not know any single thing substantive either.‘
The arrests were devastating to Crown Resorts, whose VIP revenues dropped by 45 percent in its first financial report since the event. It prompted Crown to cut its investment exposure to Asia through the sale to of $1.5 billion worth of shares in its Melco Crown operations in Macau, arguably during the very moment the region bottomed out and began a sustainable economic data recovery.
The depletion of VIP revenue dragged Crown’s overall adjusted profits down by 9.1 percent in the half a year since the arrests, caused a major reshuffle to the board of directors, and prompted talk of a ‚efficiency drive,‘ which will ultimately translate into job cuts.
Crown also plans to offer three jets that are private which it purchased for a total of $100 million in 2014, as well as a fleet of luxury yachts.
Sports Bettor Who Placed $50,000 Wager on Golden State Stands to Win $500
An enthusiastic sports bettor in Las Vegas place $50,000 on the Golden State Warriors besting the Utah Jazz in their Conference that is western NBA semifinals series.
Can the Utah Jazz stop Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, therefore the Golden State Warriors? One sports bettor says no, and he’s put $50,000 on the relative line to show his point. (Image: Kyle Terada/USA sports today)
Should the Bay region team prevail in the best-of-seven matchup, the gambler stands to receive just $500. That’s the reality of taking the huge favorite, and oddsmakers in Las Vegas have little doubt the Warriors will easily take care of the Jazz.
The Westgate SuperBook took the $50,000 wager on odds of -10000. In contrast, a $50,000 bet on the Jazz, that comes to an unlikely fruition on the SuperBook’s +2000 odds, would reward the risk-taker a whopping $1 million.
Sportsbooks feel the Warriors are a certain thing to advance to the Western Conference Finals, but the games still must be played, and $50,000, is well, still $50,000. ESPN’s ‚Chalk‘ first reported the NBA betting action.
In terms of the odds on winning it all, the at 5-12, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers (7-2), San Antonio Spurs (8-1), and Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets at 20-1.
Warriors Just Take Game One
The stark reality is that it is rather unimaginable for most baseball specialists to see the Jazz somehow outlasting the Warriors in seven games. Night 22 dukes casino instant play they’re already down one game after Golden State’s 106-94 win last.
Last night was news that is great one sports bettor whom reportedly put an astounding $576,000 on Golden State directly within the Jazz. The bet paid off, with the gambler netting $36,000.
If she or he had taken the Warriors on the points spread, the gamble would have lost. The SuperBook had Golden State giving Utah 13 points in game one, meaning their 12-point win would not have covered.
The win that is one-point the Jazz contrary to the spread shows exactly how good Las Vegas oddsmakers are at setting lines. The sportsbooks and casinos will be hoping for the Warriors to prevail not surprisingly, as many bettors are using the long odds and using the possibility, albeit a big one, on Utah.
William Hill states 90 percent of its tickets on the Warriors-Jazz show have been regarding the underdog.
With all the Warriors up 1-0, the SuperBook line has swollen to Utah at +3000, and the Warriors now at -20000.
No Erasing Chalk
ESPN’s ‚Chalk‘ is a special sports gambling section of the website devoted to Las Vegas. A week ago, the sports that are connecticut-headquartered group announced it was firing over 100 television personalities and journalists from the network.
‚a component that is necessary of change involves constantly evaluating how we best utilize all of our resources,‘ ESPN President John Skipper stated in a statement.
Many well-known ‚front-facing‘ workers were let go, but ‚Chalk‘ journalist David Purdum apparently wasn’t on the chopping block. That could signal that ESPN understands the importance of covering the sports market that is betting a growing movement to legalize the industry continues over the US.
Numerous gambling observers believe the right time is right to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act that prohibited sports gambling in 1992. American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman recently opined, ‚We’re closer than at any point in the previous decades that are several making that a truth.‘
BGO.com Fined Six Numbers for Ad Violations in Landmark UKGC Governing
BGO Entertainment became the first online gambling company to be sanctioned and fined under the united kingdom Gambling Commission’s new social responsibility rule this week.
Verne Troyer stars in TV UK spots for BGO.com, but the business has been fined this by the UKGC for violations of its code of practice in advertising week. (Image: BGO.com)
The casino that is online, with a strong brand presence within the UK market, thanks to a television advertising campaign fronted by Verne Troyer, best-known as Austin Powers‘ ‚Mini-Me,‘ was accused by the regulator of ‚misleading marketing by itself and its affiliates‘ websites‘ and fined £300,000.
New measures introduced the UKGC in its 2015 Licensing Conditions and Codes of Practice managed to make it a dependence on licensees‘ advertisements to ‚state significant limits and skills‘ in terms of their promotions, which includes advertising on social media and through affiliate marketing.
That means operators have to exactly outline clearly what is supposed with a ‚free bet,‘ or even a ‚bonus,‘ and what consumers need certainly to do in order to qualify for them, such as for instance having to play through arduous wagering requirements.