The Nevada Gaming Commission has rejected a proposed settlement with ex-Resorts World Las Vegas agent Nicole Bowyer. The proposal would have revoked her license for five years but the regulator does not seem to be willing to let her off the hook so easily.
A Not-So-Independent Agent
Nicole, for context, is the spouse of the controversial California bookmaker Matthew Bowyer. The latter was involved in a high-profile illegal gambling case and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Bowyer was notably the bookmaker who took millions from Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of the Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara, who served as a confidant to the athlete, surreptitiously stole huge sums from Ohtani’s bank account to cover his gambling debts.
The case went deeper as it turned out that Bowyer allegedly laundered the proceeds from his unauthorized operation at Resorts World Las Vegas where his wife worked as an independent agent.
Matthew eventually pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling operation, laundering money and submitting a false tax return. He is set to be sentenced in April.
Nicole, meanwhile, is believed to have leveraged her position to facilitate her husband’s operations. As Matthew’s host, she was in a position to ignore his background in unlicensed gaming.
Commissioners Rejected Nicole’s Settlement Proposal
Nicole is also facing trouble because of her alleged involvement in the scheme. She claimed that she became an agent only because Matthew told her that this would help him recoup some of the millions of dollars he was losing at the casino.
Nicole further insisted that she was not aware of the money laundering reporting protocols but commissioners were skeptical about that. Commissioner George Markantonis emphasized that even if she was being honest, her ignorance would not excuse her wrongdoings.
Nicole just submitted a settlement agreement, proposing to have her license revoked for five years. In addition to that, her proposal would have granted her immunity in return for her cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
However, the Nevada Gaming Commission rejected the proposal, arguing that simply revoking her license would be an insufficient penalty since she has already capitalized on her time as an agent, earning over half a million dollars in 2023 alone. Commissioners were also wary of agreeing to a settlement that would grant her immunity and would protect her even if she failed to cooperate.
Bowyer Likely to Avoid a Fine
Commissioner Brian Krolicki, on the other hand, was puzzled by the lack of a fine levied against Nicole. He was told that such a fine had been discussed but eventually rejected.
Nona Lawrence, the Nevada deputy attorney general explained that in most cases, there is either a fine or a revocation. Lawrence elaborated that in this case, the board concluded that revocation was sufficient.