We don’t know if Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Cristino “Bong” Naguiat has been to the United States since the courthouse slugfest between gambling moguls Steve Wynn and Kazuo Okada broke

out but our sources in Las Vegas, Nevada say investigators of the Nevada State Gaming Control Board (NSGCB) are itching to sit down with the Pagcor chief if and when he steps foot on American soil.

We’re told NSGCB’s investigators are currently looking into the report of former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Louis Freeh who was hired by Wynn in November 2011 to probe into Okada’s activities in the Philippines.

Freeh’s report contends that substantial evidence exists that Okada, his associates and companies engaged in the practice of making payments and gifts to Naguiat and his predecessor, Ephraim Genuino, who, as Pagcor chiefs, directly oversee and regulate Okada’s provisional licensing agreement to operate in the country, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) – the strict US anti-bribery law.

There’s also an ongoing NSGCB audit in Japan and elsewhere (reportedly including the Philippines) regarding the potentially improper payments made by Okada to the country’s chief gaming regulators.

The NSGCB’s entry into the corporate fray certainly won’t make it easy for the Pagcor chief to wiggle his way out this brouhaha.

Threatening to complicate Naguiat’s predicament are the recent reports that two former Japanese executives of Okada allegedly connected to the pay-offs to Pagcor executives are in talks with the FBI. This had led some observers to predict that Naguiat could also soon find himself in the FBI’s crosshairs for a potential criminal case.

And as anyone who has been to America knows, you can’t mess around with the US authorities.

Just a few months ago, agents from NSGCB, working with the FBI, arrested and charged eight persons in Las Vegas, Nevada for corruption and other offenses.

We’re told the NSGCB’s investigation into the bribery allegations has taken a more serious turn especially after the recent revelation that Okada’s company paid some US$40 million to an alleged “bag-man” of Genuino supposedly to obtain certain concessions for the Japanese tycoon’s US$2-billion casino project in Pagcor’s Entertainment City.

But with Genuino out of the picture and with the fate of Okada’s venture now in the hands of Naguiat, it seems the extraordinary perks lavished by Okada on the current Pagcor chief have come under the scrutiny of NSGCB’s investigators.

According to the Freeh report, soon after his appointment as Pagcor chief, Naguiat flew to Macau where he, his wife, their three children and a nanny were put up by Okada in Villa 81, the most expensive accommodation at Wynn Resorts Macau (about 7,000 square feet in size and costing about US$6,000 per day).

Naguiat and his family were also provided by Okada with approximately US$20,000 cash for gaming and shopping, the Freeh report said. The report likewise mentioned that Naguiat requested a Chanel bag for his wife but that the latter did not like the 80,000-peso bag bought by Okada’s associate.

It’s obvious that Naguiat was extravagantly courted by Okada due to his position as the new Pagcor chief. In fact, as the Freeh report notes, Naguiat became a beneficiary of Okada’s valuable generosity only after he became Pagcor chairman – a circumstance pointing to a prima facie violation of US anti-bribery laws.

Naguiat expectedly denied the bribery allegations, claiming he was merely dragged into the boardroom battle between Wynn and Okada – a line echoed by his Palace defenders. But were it not for the falling out of these gaming bigwigs, Filipinos would not have known about the ostentatious perks bestowed upon the Pagcor chief and his coterie. Which makes many people wonder what other perks and privileges Naguiat got from Okada that the public doesn’t (and won’t) know about.

The Palace also tried to depict Naguiat’s 4-day stay in Macau as a business trip supposedly to attend a gaming convention of casino operators. If true, why did Naguiat bring his family with him? How many business executives take their family along on business trips?

And why did Naguiat try to keep his identity secret by registering as an “Incognito” guest and placing the reservation in the name of Suzzanne Bangsil – the wife of Rogelio Bangsil, a top PAGCOR official? Naguiat has not explained why up to now.

Moreover, if as Naguiat claims, he has “done nothing wrong and [has] not violated any laws”, then he should go to the US pronto and let himself be grilled by NSGCB’s investigators so that he can clear his name once and for all.

We doubt if he will however. Not with the other damning evidence unearthed by Freeh’s investigators, which we will discuss in our future columns.

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