Preston Banks Sues Resorts World Las Vegas for Whistleblower Retaliation After Flagging Suspicious Patron Activity

A former compliance director at Resorts World Las Vegas has filed a federal lawsuit claiming retaliation for reporting suspicious activity by a group of foreign patrons. Preston Banks brought the complaint in US District Court on 14 September 2026. The suit alleges violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 and wrongful termination under Nevada law. Banks seeks reinstatement or front pay, double back pay with interest, compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and punitive damages.

Banks joined the property in September 2022 after nearly 16 years at the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. He was dismissed on September 29, 2025. The termination notice cited an illegal gambling scheme that Banks says he himself identified and escalated.

Patron Activity, SAR Filings and Alleged Internal Resistance

The complaint states that in late 2022 Banks flagged patrons predominantly from Argentina whose sources of funds could not be verified because listed businesses did not exist. By 2024 the group had grown to between 60 and 150 people from Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Italy and Spain. Resorts World records listed unverified funds, credit fraud, repeated third-party marker payments, coached wagering, chip passing, chip walking, bankrolling, minimal gaming, offsetting bets and bill-stuffing.

More than 50 suspicious activity reports were filed by September 11, 2024. Banks recommended, and the AML committee adopted, a prohibition on third-party marker payments by three individuals. The suit claims supervisors and the committee repeatedly minimized concerns, delayed review and took incomplete action. Al Meranto, executive vice president of casino operations, described the activity as “cultural.”

On September 2, 2025 Banks submitted a report to chief compliance officer Jennifer Roberts. Nine days later the casino barred 28 associated patrons and referred $12m to $13m in unpaid credit for collection. Banks was terminated weeks afterward. He alleges the human resources director attributed the decision to the “C-suite” and the very scheme he had reported. A later version of his report shown to a Nevada Gaming Control Board agent in March 2026 allegedly omitted the “cultural” comment and policy-exception details. Banks filed complaints with OSHA on 5 December 2025, FinCEN and the Justice Department’s Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program.

Resorts World Position and Preceding Enforcement Action

A Resorts World spokesperson said: “It is unfortunate that Mr. Banks has elected to file this frivolous action relating to the termination of his employment. Resorts World strongly denies the allegations and characterisations in the lawsuit. We look forward to addressing these claims in the appropriate forum and have no further comment.” The suit arrives after the Nevada Gaming Commission approved a $10.5m settlement in March 2025 over a separate complaint involving unsuitable methods tied to illegal bookmaking, according to Focus Gaming News.

The litigation places internal AML decision-making under direct scrutiny. Operators facing similar patron-credit patterns must anticipate that escalated reports can produce both regulatory filings and subsequent employment claims.

Reporting: Focus Gaming News

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