Hard Rock Fires Executive Amid Scandal, New York Casino License Pursuit

Amid a pursuit for a New York operator’s casino license, Hard Rock International fired an executive who was at the center of a public scandal.

The company severed its ties to Alex Pariente, its former senior vice president for hotel and casino operations. The decision came in response to a whistleblower’s claim that Pariente was wrapped up in suspicious business deals and allowed casino markers at a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to go unpaid.

Pariente was suspended last month after the allegations were released.

Suspicious details

According to the New York Post, Hard Rock confirmed it parted ways with Pairente on Tuesday.

“Hard Rock International has completed its initial investigation in connection with recent public allegations regarding executives at Hard Rock Punta Cana Casino and can confirm it has separated with the executive in question,” the casino company said in a statement.

Hard Rock enlisted “two of the nation’s most respected law firms who specialize in gaming regulatory and compliance issues” to conduct its investigation, which revealed enough information for the company to comfortably move on from Pariente. The extent of his involvement and actions is unknown.

The whistleblower was none other than R.J. Cipriani, a professional gambler and FBI informant, codenamed “Jackpot,” who helped take down a major drug and illicit gambling ring, among other accolades.

According to the allegations, Pariente received $100,000 from a Chinese national in the form of 33 separate equal payments. The total was split into smaller amounts to avoid anti-money laundering regulations, but Pariente accepting the money violated reporting requirements, Cipriani claimed.

The whistleblower also said that IRS officials and gaming regulators in Florida, Las Vegas, and New York were kept in the loop.

The New York casino race

Hard Rock is part of one of eight groups that are seeking a New York casino operator’s license, of which three will be awarded before the end of the year. That number had appeared to be down to seven, but New York City Mayor Eric Adams saved Bally’s bid with a veto.

Cipriani said that he sounded the alarm on the illegal activity because he didn’t want his actions to be used against Hard Rock in their attempt to build a casino in the Big Apple.

“I didn’t want the negative and illegal things that happened in Punta Cana to reflect negatively on Hard Rock’s attempt to get the downstate license in New York,” Cipriani said, per The Post.

Hard Rock is working with New York Mets owner Steve Cohen to build a casino called Metropolitan Park at Willets Point. The $8 billion project would redevelop 50 acres of parking lots into a mixed-use space outfitted with a casino, hotel, entertainment venues, public parkland, and more. 

Every group pursuing an operator’s license must receive a recommendation from a Community Advisory Committee before the end of September. The New York Gaming Facility Location Board will then make the final decision on the three casinos that receive the licenses.