Sentence upheld in laundering case

Monday, May 13, 2002 | 10:50 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- An appeals court has upheld the conviction and sentence of a San Francisco woman who stole money from a bank where she worked and then laundered it through Las Vegas casinos.

Siu Kuen Ma pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Vegas to three counts of money laundering and U.S. District Judge Lloyd George sentenced her to four years and three months in jail. She was also ordered to reimburse First Republic Bank -- where she was assistant manager -- $1.3 million and to repay more than $600,000 to the casinos.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week rejected Ma's claim that she was not properly advised of the provision in the plea agreement that she waived her right to appeal or to challenge her sentence. She sought to have her sentence overturned.

The court said various Las Vegas casinos lost money from stolen checks used by Ma that were dishonored by the bank.

Ma used the stolen checks to buy gaming chips at casinos. As examples of Las Vegas clubs that lost money, the court said Ma had $30,000 worth of markers at The Rio Suite Hotel and Casino and $240,000 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.