Casino junket scam kingpin gets 16 years

MANILA, Philippines — The leader of a casino junket operation engaged in investment scams has been sentenced to up to 16 years in prison and must pay P13 million in two fraud cases.

Hector Aldwin Liao Pantollana, 35, is guilty of estafa, Judge Redelyne Addug-Sanchez of the Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 296 ruled on Nov. 9.

Pantollana must pay P9 million to spouses Adolfo and Elnora Daroy and P4 million to Miguel Gubaton Jr. and his son Michael, plus a six-percent annual interest.

Victims were lured into investing through Horizons Players Club, which Pantollana headed, with promises of returns of up to five percent a month from casino junket operations.

Arrested in November 2024 in Bali, Indonesia, Pantollana faces dozens of similar cases in Baguio City and other courts.

Pantollana is detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Five other suspects remain at large: Virgilio Martin Casupanan, Christian Joseph Quinzon, Paolo Trelestad Galenzoga, Reymond Lacsamana Galang and Daniel Tomalabcad Agbisit.