LAS VEGAS (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Nevada have added a conspiracy allegation and re-filed criminal Internet bookmaking charges against a Malaysian businessman who won a court ruling that his rights were violated in an FBI search of his Las Vegas Strip hotel suite last summer.
Defense lawyer David Chesnoff on Thursday derided the new charge and refreshed indictment against Wei Seng "Paul" Phua as a last-minute attempt to revive a case crippled by governmental misconduct.
Chesnoff says Phua maintains his innocence.
Prosecutors acknowledge in court filings that the revised indictment filed Wednesday contains essentially the same charges filed after Phua and seven other people were arrested last July at Caesars Palace.
Phua's son and six other defendants went on to plead guilty to lesser charges, and the case against one defendant was dismissed.