Tacos El Cabron at Resorts World Las Vegas on June 2, 2022
The Nevada Gaming Control Board won’t say whether the closure of a taco stand at Resorts World Las Vegas is connected to the agency’s probe of the hotel’s alleged involvement with the restaurant.
“The Nevada Gaming Control Board has no comment,” said GCB official Michael Lawton.
The GCB confirmed in April it was investigating allegations made by gambler Brandon Sattler that Resorts World is part owner in Tacos El Cabron, a restaurant on the hotel property managed by David Stroj, according to court documents. Stroj is a convicted illegal gambler and admitted money launderer. His father, Peter Stroj, is the owner of record of the taco stand.
“Resorts World Las Vegas did a full due diligence on the tenant prior to entering into the lease agreement,” spokeswoman Rachel Wilkinson of Rogich Communications told the Current earlier this year. “David Stroj is not now, nor has he ever been a manager or owner of Tacos El Cabron.”
Stroj’s involvement with the taco stand caught the attention of gaming regulators after Sattler said in a deposition that while working on the restaurant’s video system, he was told by Resorts World president Scott Sibella “that Resorts World is a 50% partner in Tacos El Cabron.”
Resorts World says it has no stake in any of its concessions.
Sattler told the Current he’s voluntarily cooperating with a “third-party independent investigation” being conducted by Bird Marella, a Los Angeles law firm hired by Resorts World to look into Sattler’s allegations, according to a document obtained by the Current. Sattler says he’s never been contacted by the GCB.
Bird Marella is also said to be investigating allegations made by gambler RJ Cipriani, aka Robin Hood 702, who says the hotel was catering to individuals banned from other casinos.
The hotel would not respond to requests for comment on the closure of Tacos El Cabron or the independent investigation.
Stroj told the Current in April that he no longer manages the taco stand at Resorts World and was staying out of Las Vegas “out of an abundance of caution” pending a June 6 appearance before his sentencing judge, who wants to know why Stroj gambled in Las Vegas without notifying his federal probation officer, a violation of his supervised release.
Stroj also says he was told by Resorts World executives in January to stay away from the property.
That month, the Current reported that Cipriani was notifying law enforcement of individuals at Resorts World he believed were undesirable and should not be gambling.
In the deposition, Sattler disputed sworn statements Sibella made to the Gaming Control Board in March, when he asserted he did not know Sattler.
“I met the person twice. He’s been a customer for 20 years,” Sibella told the GCB. “I don’t know him from Adam. He’s done no work at Resorts World.”
“Yes, we’ve partied. Yes, we did drugs together, drank together, yes, we went out to eat together,” Sattler said of his relationship with Sibella in the sworn deposition.
Sibella has not responded to requests for comment.
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