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Robert Mazur
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CASINO MONEY LAUNDERING THREAT![]()
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A big thank you to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma for engaging me as their keynote speaker at their 2025 Oklahoma BSA/AML Working Group. The conference was held at the amazing Choctaw Resort and Casino in Durant, Oklahoma.![]()
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Among other things, I shared details with casino compliance professionals about the number 1 money laundering threat they, and all casinos in North America, currently face - Chinese national money launderers posing as legitimate high-stakes gamblers. We reviewed the primary reasons that Chinese money launderers have cornered the black money markets around the globe, which is why they charge drug cartels 1/3rd the normal cost to launder dirty U.S. cash. In summary, here’s why the Chinese underworld has cornered the money laundering market:![]()
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1. Within the borders of China, there are more free trade zones than in any other country. Through black money market brokers, drug cartels often swap millions in currency in North America for either goods in China, or Chinese bank balances they can use to buy large quantities of goods they ship and sell in South America. This process gives the drug organizations a legitimate appearing front for their wealth.![]()
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2. Manufacturers in China produce massive quantities of counterfeit goods. What trafficker wouldn’t like to triple their wealth by selling high-quality counterfeit goods.![]()
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3. China has 160,000 unregulated pharmaceutical manufacturing companies that produce mountains of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illegal drugs. They generate $1.7 trillion per year in revenue within the borders of China. Those pharmaceutical companies receive a 13% tax break from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the PRC is a part owner in those businesses. Cartels swap suitcases full of cash in North America for container loads of precursor chemicals they need to make their poison?![]()
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4. Citizens of China are restricted by their government from individually investing more than $50,000 per year outside the borders of their country. That makes wealthy Chinese entrepreneurs the number 1 group of businessmen in the world eager to buy duffle bags full of illicit $20 bills in North America. In exchange, they will, through a money broker, provide North American traffickers with bank balances in Chinese REM. These Chinese businessmen pay a high fee to a broker to buy dope money in North America.![]()
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5. U.S. authorities have no means of legally forcing companies or individuals in China to honor a subpoena to turn over records or to appear before a grand jury in the U.S. Records and testimony about those illicit transactions are beyond the reach of law enforcement in the free world.![]()
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6. The Chinese Communist Party’s furthers their world dominance by undermining the character of an American public that has an insatiable appetite for illegal drugs. They relish our self-destruction through illegal drug addiction.![]()
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Many Chinese national launderers that clean money through casinos present themselves as big-time gamblers, “whales”, that generate their wealth from gambling. But they realize they also have to offer an employment front that justifies their bringing duffle bags of cash to a casino. Some get involved in marijuana grow farms and falsely claim their stuck with cash because banks are prohibited from receiving revenue from licensed marijuana growers. These “gamblers” rely on the fact that it is extremely difficult for compliance personnel, and even governments, to get quality information about them from sources in China.![]()
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Conducting quality enhanced due diligence about Chinese nationals can be a challenge. ![]()
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Traditional databases and transaction screening software won’t get the job done. There are two recommendations I make to casinos to address this challenge. ![]()
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First, they should exercise their right under Section 314 of the Patriot Act to register with FINCEN to share information with other financial institutions. These Chinese nationals are frequenting many casinos, and seeing the big picture about a customer is crucial. ![]()
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Secondly, casino compliance professionals need to identify a quality consulting/investigative firm that regularly obtains sensitive information from sources in China. After retiring from government service, I founded and managed a global investigative/consulting firm staffed by a dozen former federal agents from various agencies. As a group, we developed relationships with similar companies around the world. Obtaining accurate information about Chinese nationals requires the assistance of experienced former law enforcement officers operating the type of company I managed for 15 years. We developed contacts in every corner of the globe to lawfully get quality information about individuals and companies. I suggest compliance professionals find a reputable investigative agency, most likely in Australia, that can conduct quality enhanced due diligence concerning individuals and companies in the far east.![]()
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Quality enhanced due diligence resources aren't free, but there was never a more important time for casinos to recognize that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". The consequences otherwise could be extremely costly in fines, reputation, and more.
CANADA’S PABLO ESCOBAR![]()
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John Oakley, 640AM Toronto, interviewed me about Ryan Wedding, the former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, now turned Canada’s version of Pablo Escobar. Wedding was indicted in the U.S. for his leadership role in a drug conspiracy that distributed 60 tons of cocaine in the U.S. and Canada. Wedding is in hiding, said to be protected in Mexico by the Sinaloa Cartel. As part of the drug conspiracy, Wedding and others allegedly orchestrated the assassination of a key witness in Colombia. Although some find the story of Wedding’s criminal enterprise surprising, for me, as NY Yankee baseball great Yogi Berra so famously said, it’s déjà vu all over again. Listen in to the interview at the link below:![]()
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www.robertmazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CORU9192121928-trim.mp3
SHARING INSIGHTS WITH PROFESSIONALS ON THE FRONT LINES![]()
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It was an honor to join my fellow Keynote speakers, including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Doris Kearns Goodwin, at the 2025 Commonwealth Financial Annual Conference. Getting the opportunity to share insights with the 1,100 conference attendees about the messages in my books, THE INFILTRATOR and THE BETRAYAL, was gratifying. Part of our discussion focused on how and why the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has become the base from which most money launderers operate and launder illicit proceeds. The new money laundering techniques linked to the PRC are a major challenge to the law enforcement community, but there are ways to combat them.![]()
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A huge thank you to the leadership of Commonwealth Financial for having me back for a second time in 3 years as one of their Keynote speakers. Their service to the financial community is a difference maker.
EMPOWERING GLOBAL COOPERATION![]()
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Thanks to the U.S. Department of State, I am occasionally given the opportunity to share my experience and insights with “difference makers” from many nations. This week, I had the honor of presenting to 15 high level law enforcement officers and prosecutors that attended a conference focused on combating transnational crime. ![]()
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The attendees included officials from:![]()
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Austria Bulgaria ![]()
Finland Greece![]()
Italy Moldova![]()
Portugal Republic of North Macedonia![]()
Romania Slovenia![]()
Spain Sweden![]()
United Kingdom![]()
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Every day, these public servants put their lives on the line to enforce the rule of law. It was eye-opening to learn about their devotion, and the extent to which our government supports these dedicated professionals to achieve the greater good. ![]()
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The U.S. State Department gave each attendee a copy of my first book, THE INFILTRATOR, that I personalized and signed. I look forward to continuing to support my new friends, all of whom are brave professionals dedicated to fighting the good fight.
RESOLVING THE EPSTEIN SCANDAL![]()
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Today, the Tampa Bay Times printed the article I wrote about how our democracy should get to the horrible truths within the Epstein files, and who should get us there. One thing is certain, our government can unearth the truth without reducing Ghislaine Maxwell's prison sentence, doing her any favors, or showing her any leniency. To do otherwise stinks of a coverup. A link to the article is below:![]()
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www.robertmazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tampa-Bay-Times-08.10.25-Epstein-File.pdf
