Reid: I interceded for Adelson when Las Vegas Sands was in potential criminal trouble with the feds
In internal emails, the senator took credit for getting the company out of hot water
47 days to publication of my Harry Reid biography — don’t forget to preorder!
I have already told you of the sub rosa relationship Reid had with the late Sheldon Adelson, the gaming pioneer. He and Adelson, both blunt, no-nonsense, Machiavellian guys, clearly respected each other. Reid saw the utility in keeping Adelson close (i.e. keep him out of his elections!) and Adelson obviously knew what Reid could do for him from his power perch. (More coming on that below….)
I get into their relationship in the book, including the nugget that Adelson’s right hand, Andy Abboud, offered the company’s private plane to fly Reid to DC after his eye injury in 2015.
There was much more, too. Reid tried to finesse Adelson’s opposition to web poker with other casino companies — Caesars, MGM — wanting Internet gaming to get a congressional imprimatur. It was one of his few legislative failures, but I found emails showing how he tried to persuade both sides he was doing his best.
One really interesting sequence I discovered was after the Sands, which had been accused of money laundering by the feds, resolved that dispute and no criminal charges were filed.
On Aug. 27, 2013, at 6:49 PM, Reid deputy David Krone emailed the senator:
It looks like they settled that issue...
BUSINESS Updated August 27, 2013, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sands, U.S. Reach Money-Laundering Accord
Las Vegas Sands and U.S. prosecutors reached an agreement to resolve a money-laundering investigation.
By ALEXANDRA BERZON And JOHN R. EMSHWILLER CONNECT
Las Vegas Sands Corp. and federal prosecutors reached an agreement Tuesday to resolve a money-laundering investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles.
Under the agreement, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, the casino giant will avoid criminal prosecution but will make a multimillion-dollar payment and accept the Justice Department’s assertion that the company failed to report suspicious financial activity by one of its customers.
Reid responded at 7:30:
Wouldn’t have happened wo my help. We will see (if) it was appreciated.
Krone responded four minutes later:
The only question I have is does Adelson know what you did?
Reid immediately responded:
Yes, he called me last evening.
It’s not clear (or at least I didn’t find/haven’t found it) exactly what Reid did — the mind boggles. But he did…something! And Adelson called him to thank him.
Hope you are enjoying all of these posts about my research for the book. Once again, my repetitive reminder to preorder.