Hard Rock International has placed senior vice president Alex Pariente on unpaid leave following serious allegations of misconduct tied to the company’s Punta Cana casino operations in the Dominican Republic. The suspension comes as the casino giant actively pursues a high-profile gaming license in New York City in partnership with Mets owner Steve Cohen.

Whistleblower triggers internal probe:

The accusations, which emerged through multiple investigative reports and a whistleblower tip, center around suspicious financial activity at Hard Rock’s Dominican Republic property. Pariente, a veteran executive with a history in Caribbean gaming, is under investigation for allegedly enabling illicit transactions and failing to adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) protocols.

According to the New York Post, the investigation was launched after R.J. Cipriani, a federal informant also known as “Robin Hood 702,” alerted Hard Rock executives to questionable conduct at the Punta Cana casino. Cipriani claimed that Pariente instructed an employee to accept a $100,000 cash deposit from a Chinese gambler and split it into 33 smaller $3,000 transactions—an act that reportedly violated Dominican AML laws designed to prevent financial structuring.

Hard Rock released a statement confirming the suspension and emphasizing its zero-tolerance approach: “Hard Rock International is aware of the allegations involving one of our executives and is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness. Honesty and integrity are core values of our organization, and we hold all team members—regardless of their role—to the highest ethical standards.”

According to Cipriani, the issue has already drawn attention from federal authorities and gaming regulators in New York, Florida, and Nevada. He also said Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen contacted him directly regarding the matter. “Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen reached out to me directly and is taking the matter very seriously,” Cipriani told The New York Post.

Allegations involving high-stakes gamblers and known bookmakers:

In addition to the structuring incident, Pariente is accused of permitting illegal bookmakers—including Matthew Bowyer—to gamble at the resort. Bowyer, a Southern California bookie currently awaiting sentencing for operating one of the largest known illegal sports betting rings in the U.S., had reportedly accumulated around $13 million in losses in 2023 and was linked to Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

Casino.org first reported that Pariente also allowed credit markers to go unpaid and facilitated questionable client relationships. Two other employees associated with Pariente have reportedly also been suspended, although Hard Rock declined to confirm this.

Pariente’s long-standing presence in the Caribbean gaming market adds weight to the controversy. He previously held executive roles at Baha Mar in the Bahamas and Nexus in Nassau, both luxury resort operations, and served as chief gaming officer at Hard Rock Punta Cana.

The timing of the allegations is particularly sensitive. Hard Rock recently submitted a joint bid with Steve Cohen for a New York City-area casino, known as Hard Rock Metropolitan Park—a proposed $8 billion resort located near Citi Field. The New York State Gaming Commission has remained tight-lipped but reiterated that “the gaming facility evaluation process includes NYS Police-background investigations of companies, affiliates, and the principals of all the applicants.”

Hard Rock is not the only casino operator facing compliance challenges. Earlier this year, Resorts World Las Vegas received a $10.5 million fine from Nevada regulators over AML violations tied to illicit bookmakers, including Bowyer. MGM Resorts settled separately for $8.5 million over related compliance failures.

Both Resorts World and MGM are among the eight applicants competing with Hard Rock for one of the limited downstate licenses in the New York region.