In the United States and the national bank of Bangladesh has reportedly filed a civil complaint against 17 entities including casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corporation concerning the 2016 theft from its coffers of approximately $81 million.

According to a Monday report from Inside Asian Gaming, the legal action from Bangladesh Bank has been lodged with the New York State Court some ten weeks after the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed a similar motion due to jurisdictional concerns.

Substantial sum:

It was further reported that Bangladesh Bank filed this initial lawsuit in January of 2019 almost three years after North Korean hackers are said to have electronically stolen around $101 million from an account it held with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The national financial institution alleged that most of this pilfered cash was subsequently routed through the Philippines’ Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation before disappearing for good via at least two Manila-area casinos including the Solaire Resort and Casino property run by Bloomberry Resorts Corporation’s local Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Incorporated subordinate.

Serious situation:

Although Bangladesh Bank later managed to recoup around $20 million of the illicit money after tracing it to accounts in Sri Lanka, Inside Asian Gaming reported that the state-run repository has been seeking recompense for the remaining amount from a range of other assorted individuals and companies including Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Incorporated. The source detailed that the bank has long alleged that a portion of the robbed funds were laundered via the purchase of chips that were consequently used in Solaire Resort and Casino’s junket-run VIP gaming rooms.

Inside Asian Gaming reported that Bangladesh Bank is appealing this earlier ruling before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit while its latest lawsuit is seeking the return of the $81 million on charges of conversion, theft and misappropriation as well as aiding and abetting, conspiracy, fraud and unjust enrichment.

Determined defence:

For its part and Manila-listed Bloomberry Resorts Corporation reportedly issued a Monday filing in which it declared that it has yet received no summons or court date for this latest legal action but intends to ‘vigorously defend itself’ against charges it believes to be ‘baseless.’