The previous head of Crown Casino in Perth acknowledged that his staff could have taken further action to tackle potential money cleansing operations linked to questionable digital financial movements.
During his statement at the Perth Casino Royal Commission inquiry, ex-general manager David Brown faced questions regarding his accountability, and that of his group, in detecting and disclosing these movements. The transactions under scrutiny involved multiple cash installments made into Crown Perth’s Riverbank account through wire transfer between 2013 and 2015, which Mr. Brown admitted “appeared unusual.”
These remittances, primarily originating from abroad, were all cash deposits less than $10,000, a sum that should have prompted a notification to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC). The deposits were executed at numerous bank locations before being placed into the Crown Perth Riverbank account, a method known as “layering,” frequently connected to money cleansing.
ANZ Bank closed the casino’s Riverbank account in 2014 due to worries about layering. Crown’s reaction was to merely establish a new account with the Commonwealth Bank, permitting the dubious activity to persist.
The Perth Royal Commission is slated to hear from several other senior managers, including former chief legal counsel Joshua Preston, Crown Perth’s director of security and investigations Derek Burling, and Crown Resorts Group general manager of responsible gaming Sonja Bauer.
After the hearings concluded, the investigation into Crown Resorts will be briefly paused for two weeks.
This examination, centered on Crown Perth, commenced in May after a distinct inquiry in New South Wales finished. The New South Wales investigation led to Crown Sydney losing its operational permit.
This measure was enacted after the inquiry revealed proof implying possible connections to criminal syndicates and participation in illicit financial activities within the James Packer-supported enterprise.
