judicial

Casino owner scrutinized

The Corte Suprema has asked the Junta de Control de Juego for information on Turkish businessman Sudi Oskan.

Oskan has been accused of tax evasion and money laundering in other countries.

LA PRENSA

doubts: Oskan wants to open a casino at the Four Points Hotel.1056395

A plenary session of the Corte Suprema de Justicia has asked the board of directors of the Junta de Control de Juego (JCJ) for a procedural report on the contract allowing Turkish businessman Sudi Oskan to operate a new casino in the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Panama City.

The request follows a complaint by the Asociación de Administradores de Juegos de Azar (Asaja) against the JCJ’s decision to give the green light for the new casino. According to Asaja, investigations into Oskan’s background failed to meet standard requirements.

The Asociación asked the JCJ and the Consejo de Seguridad to look into allegations implicating Oskan in tax evasion and money laundering in other countries.

Oskan, who is ready to open the casino, denies any wrongdoing, and maintains that all allegations concerning his legitimacy to operate a casino in Panama are “false and groundless.” The whole process has been handled by authorities in a transparent manner, he added.

Asaja emphasized that it does not oppose new competition within the plaza, but that all regulations must be observed to keep gaming activities from getting out of control.