Resorts World Whistleblower Claims He Was Fired for Reporting Suspicious Gamblers

A former Resorts World Las Vegas compliance director is accusing the Strip megaresort of firing him merely for doing his job—repeatedly warning supervisors about suspicious gambling activity. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court on Sept. 14, 2026 by Preston Banks, alleges whistleblower retaliation under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 and wrongful termination under Nevada law. It seeks reinstatement or front pay, double back pay with interest, compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees, and punitive damages. Resorts World denies the allegations in terminated compliance officer Preston Banks’ lawsuit, calling the case “frivolous.” (Image: Shutterstock) Muddy Banks Banks joined Resorts World in September 2022 after roughly 16 years at the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. According to his complaint, he soon identified a small cluster of international patrons—initially described as predominantly from Argentina—whose stated sources of funds could not be verified. The businesses listed on their casino credit applications “did not exist or could not be located,” Banks’ lawsuit states. By 2024, the group had allegedly expanded to between 60 and 150 people from Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Italy, and Spain. The most recognizable part of Resorts World’s casino floor. (Image: Shutterstock) Internal records cited in the lawsuit describe the group’s activity as involving unverified funds, credit fraud, repeated third‑party marker payments, coordinated or “coached” wagering, chip passing, chip walking, bankrolling, minimal gaming, offsetting bets, and bill‑stuffing. Banks says he recommended restrictions as early as 2023, including prohibiting certain third‑party payments. Those recommendations were adopted, but he alleges the casino’s anti‑money‑laundering committee repeatedly minimized concerns and delayed action. Downplayed to the Wire By September 2024, more than 50 suspicious activity reports had been filed on the patrons, according to the complaint. During a committee meeting six days later, Banks says he learned that the father of one patron had previously been implicated in an unlicensed money‑transmitting matter involving Wynn Las Vegas. Still, he alleges, senior executives downplayed the seriousness of the activity. In one meeting, executive vice president of casino operations Al Meranto allegedly characterized the behavior as “cultural.” Banks submitted a comprehensive report on Sept. 2, 2025, detailing what he called the “Argentina Scheme” to chief compliance officer Jennifer Roberts and other compliance staff. Nine days later, Resorts World banned 28 patrons associated with alleged credit fraud and referred their accounts to the Clark County district attorney for collection of approximately $12-$13 million in unpaid casino credit. By September 2024, according to Banks, more than 50 suspicious activity reports had been filed on a cadre of international patrons. (Image: Shutterstock) Banks was fired on Sept. 29, 2025. He says his supervisor and the human‑resources director told him he was being terminated because of the illegal gambling scheme. Banks protested, telling them, “I detected it, you’re killing the author.” According to the complaint, HR Director Bob Napierala responded that the decision came from “the C‑suite.” The lawsuit also alleges Resorts World altered the report Banks submitted to regulators. During a March 2026 meeting with a Nevada Gaming Control Board agent, Banks says he was shown a version of his report that omitted key details, including the “cultural” comment and information about an exception to a third‑party payment policy he opposed. To read the full lawsuit, click here:Download Banks has since filed whistleblower complaints with the Department of Labor, FinCEN, and the Justice Department’s Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program. OSHA has not yet ruled on his federal complaint, and no hearings have been scheduled in the civil case. Resorts World Responds In a statement made to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a spokesperson for Resorts World responded to the allegations. “It is unfortunate that Mr. Banks has elected to file this frivolous action relating to the termination of his employment,” the statement read. “Resorts World strongly denies the allegations and characterizations in the lawsuit. We look forward to addressing these claims in the appropriate forum and have no further comment.” The dispute comes after Resorts World agreed in March 2025 to pay a $10.5 million fine—the second‑largest in Nevada gaming history—to settle a regulatory complaint involving anti‑money‑laundering failures and gamblers with ties to illegal bookmaking. The casino subsequently overhauled its leadership structure and appointed Jennifer Roberts as chief compliance officer, a figure who appears prominently in Banks’s lawsuit. Whether Banks’s warnings qualify as protected whistleblower activity, whether his termination was retaliatory, and whether Resorts World’s handling of the patron network violated federal law remain open questions for the court to resolve. The post Resorts World Whistleblower Claims He Was Fired for Reporting Suspicious Gamblers appeared first on Casino.org.