Hard Rock International today announced the suspension of executive Alex Pariente without pay while an internal investigation is carried out regarding claims that he permitted money structuring practices and neglected 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 several whistleblowers with direct knowledge of Pariente’s purported wrongdoings at the Dominican gaming establishment. The allegations involve a situation where, at Pariente’s request, an employee accepted $100,000 from a Chinese gambler without verifying the source of the funds and possibly evaded reporting requirements by breaking up the deposit into numerous smaller transactions into 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 is the gaming division of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and approximately twelve casinos in the US feature that brand name. 

Emails Might Have Led to Pariente's Suspension 

Major corporations, like Hard Rock, tend to be cautious when making human resources choices regarding senior executives, so it’s not unexpected that Pariente didn’t encounter swift consequences right after the Casino.org articles. 

The turning point may have been messages dispatched this weekend by R.J. Cipriani, recognized as Robin Hood 702, to top Hard Rock executives, such as CEO Jim Allen. Cipriani shared with Casino.org his messages that contained the audio file verifying the earlier mentioned money structuring related to the Chinese gambler’s funds. 

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 rumored 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 underground bookmaker. 

To clarify, Hard Rock International's statement did not address the emails or any other reasons for Pariente's suspension besides the priorities of uncovering the truth and the significance of its overall integrity. 

What Lies Ahead for Pariente's Connection with Hard Rock? 

As stated by Hard Rock, Pariente is suspended without pay while awaiting the outcome of the internal investigation. The company did not provide a timeline for resolving that issue or make any remarks about the potential termination of the executive. Cipriani maintains that the industry should 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 an indirect allusion to Pariente’s experience 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 attention to the Pariente issue.