Resorts World whistleblower lawsuit alleges retaliation over suspicious gamblers

Preston Banks, a former compliance manager at a Strip megaresort, alleges that Resorts World Las Vegas terminated him after he reported suspected money‑laundering activity involving a group of international gamblers. He filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Resorts World Las Vegas, asserting whistleblower retaliation under the Anti‑Money Laundering Act and wrongful termination under Nevada law. Banks, who previously spent about 16 years as a regulatory specialist for the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, worked at Resorts World from September 2022 until his termination on Sept. 29, 2025, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court. The suit centers on what Banks calls the “Argentina Scheme,” a group of gamblers predominantly from Argentina that he says grew to between 60 and 150 individuals from various countries. Resorts World records cited in the lawsuit allegedly identified suspicious activity including unverified sources of funds, credit fraud, repeated third‑party marker payments, spot passing, spot walking, minimal gaming and offsetting bets. Resorts World has not yet responded to the complaint. The casino did not immediately reply Tuesday to a request for comment. In March 2025 the megaresort agreed to pay a $10.5 million fine—the second‑largest in Nevada gaming history—to settle a regulatory complaint concerning anti‑money laundering failures and gamblers tied to illegal bookmaking. Following the settlement, the property overhauled its enforcement leadership, created a new committee of directors and a chief compliance officer position, and instituted stricter anti‑money laundering protocols. Jennifer Roberts, who is featured prominently in Banks’ lawsuit, was appointed chief compliance officer in April 2025 to oversee the resort’s regulatory compliance efforts. The lawsuit alleges that Banks repeatedly raised concerns about the patrons and recommended progressively stricter restrictions while casino officials sometimes delayed or minimized their response. During one anti‑money laundering committee meeting in the first half of 2025, Executive Vice President of Casino Operations Al Meranto allegedly described some of the patrons’ suspicious activities as “cultural,” according to the complaint. Banks submitted a detailed report about the group to Roberts and other compliance staff on Sept. 2, 2025. Nine days later, Resorts World banned 28 patrons linked to alleged casino credit fraud and referred their accounts to the Clark County district attorney’s office for collection of approximately $12 million to $13 million in unpaid casino credit, the suit states. Banks was fired 27 days after submitting his report. During his termination meeting, Resorts World Human Resources Director Bob Napierala allegedly told Banks he was being fired because