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Businessman clears Froilan in illegal gambling issue
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Posted on Feb 02 2009
A Japanese businessman who has been implicated in allegations that he was engaged in illegal gambling in western Garapan in 2007 has vowed to clear his name in court.
“I will go for trial. Because of this case, I lost my face, I lost my businesses,” the 72-year-old Hideo Kato told Saipan Tribune.
Kato stressed he was not involved in an illegal casino at Victoria Hotel in Garapan that was raided by Attorney General’s Investigative Unit on Aug. 24, 2007.
“I am a Japanese businessman. I do not like to do illegal [on] Saipan,” he said.
Showing a license to operate the gambling activity, the businessman said the confusion happened because the former Attorney General suddenly changed the gambling law.
Kato refused to elaborate as he has a hearing in the Superior Court on Thursday.
At the same time, Kato said he feels sad because the name of former Gov. Froilan Tenorio was dragged into the alleged illegal gambling issue.
He said Tenorio, whom he considers a trusted business partner, had no intention whatsoever to operate an illegal gambling joint.
“In Japan, we the investors trust him [Tenorio],” Kato said.
In fact, the former governor has been silently trying to encourage investors from Japan to come back for the economic recovery of the CNMI, he said.
The Attorney General’s Office charged Kato and businessman Byoong Seob Choi with 119 counts of illegal gambling activity and unlawful employment of aliens.
Choi recently submitted a “no contest” plea to two counts of unlawful employment of aliens. He was sentenced to three years of probation.
The AGO implicated Tenorio in the illegal casino, but he was never charged.
Kato said the AGO did not file charges against Tenorio because there was no evidence whatsoever against the former chief executive.
