Hard Rock Suspends Pariente, Commences Internal Investigation
Hard Rock International announced today that it has suspended executive Alex Pariente without pay while an internal investigation is conducted regarding accusations that he endorsed money structuring practices and enabled unpaid credit markers at a casino resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
On Wednesday, June 25, and Friday, June 27, Casino.org released articles referencing various whistleblowers who possess direct knowledge of Pariente's purported wrongdoings at the Dominican gaming location. The allegations involve a situation where, at Pariente’s direction, an employee accepted $100,000 from a Chinese gambler without verifying the funds and may have evaded reporting requirements by dividing the deposit into numerous smaller transactions in the bettor’s account. Hard Rock International deserves recognition for showing that it acknowledges the allegations.
"Hard Rock International is aware of the allegations involving one of our executives and is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness,” according to a statement provided to Casino.org by the gaming company. “Honesty and integrity are core values of our organization, and we hold all team members—regardless of their role—to the highest ethical standards. Hard Rock does not tolerate any conduct that compromises the trust placed in us by our guests, partners, or team members. The employee in question has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation into this matter.”
Hard Rock International serves as the gaming division of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, featuring around twelve casinos in the US that display that brand name.
Emails Might Have Led to Pariente's Suspension
Major companies, including Hard Rock, typically take their time with human resources choices regarding top executives, so it’s not unexpected that Pariente didn’t encounter swift consequences right after the Casino.org pieces.
The turning point might have occurred with emails dispatched this weekend by R.J. Cipriani, known as Robin Hood 702, to top Hard Rock executives, including CEO Jim Allen. Cipriani shared messages with Casino.org that included an audio file verifying the earlier mentioned money structuring involving the Chinese gambler's funds took place.
Included in the emails were members of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), FBI Special Agent John Schettler, and IRS criminal investigator Chris Seymour. Seymour and Schettler were key agents leading inquiries into reported misconduct involving former gaming executive Scott Sibella, with Seymour being the agent who disclosed that MLB translator Ippei Mizuhara unlawfully sent $16 million to an illegal bookmaker.
To clarify, Hard Rock International’s statement did not reference the emails or other reasons for Pariente’s suspension aside from the priorities of uncovering the truth and the significance of its overall integrity.
What Lies Ahead for Pariente’s Connection with Hard Rock?
Hard Rock stated that Pariente is suspended without pay while awaiting the outcome of the internal investigation. The company did not provide a timeline for resolving that issue nor did it address the potential for the executive's termination. Cipriani thinks it's the right moment for the industry to eliminate supposedly corrupt leaders like Pariente and Sibella.
“The casino industry has no room for dirty, corrupt executives like Alex Pariente and Scott Sibella,” said Cipriani. “Pariente should not have been an executive at all. Now is the time for the industry and the world to understand casinos shouldn’t be hiring executives with checkered pasts.”
That’s a subtle allusion to Pariente’s tenure at Wynn Las Vegas and the Baha Mar Casino and Hotel in the Bahamas. Cipriani remarked that Hard Rock executives, such as Allen and COO Jeff Hook, deserve praise for their prompt response and thoughtful consideration regarding the Pariente issue.
