Published on: January 15, 2026, at 08:33h.
Updated on: January 15, 2026, at 08:33h.
- ICE apprehends IPI majority stakeholder Lijie Cui in Saipan on Tuesday.
- Cui was responsible for a contentious casino venture on Saipan.
- The initiative faced multiple federal investigations.
Lijie Cui, the Chinese primary shareholder of the controversial casino operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI), was arrested on Tuesday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saipan, an unincorporated US territory located in the Western Pacific.
According to local news source Marianas Variety, Cui is currently detained at the Department of Corrections for “immigration violations.” ICE has not disclosed further specifics regarding the nature of the violations or the timeline of the investigation, as reported by the outlet.
Increased Federal Attention
Through IPI, Cui and her son, Ji Xiaobo, initiated the extravagant Imperial Pacific Palace Casino construction on Saipan a decade ago. This venture has faced a series of labor infractions, missed deadlines, and legal disputes, resulting in persistent challenges.
A myriad of federal inquiries followed. In 2018 and 2019, the US Department of Labor secured agreements with foreign contractors, mandating the payment of tens of millions of dollars in back wages and damages to underpaid Chinese workers.
Simultaneously, the FBI, IRS, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network launched investigations into IPI, probing allegations of money laundering, wire fraud, and suspected bribery or corruption involving local officials. These investigations are still active.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, IPI ran into financial difficulties, leading to the casino’s closure since 2020. The company continues to owe millions to Saipan’s Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) for licensing and regulatory fees.
Since then, IPI has been entangled in a prolonged bankruptcy case. In August, Team King Investment, controlled by Chinese-born Japanese entrepreneur Hiroshi Kaneko, acquired the incomplete property along with its casino license for a mere $12.95 million.
However, a recent investigation by The Washington Post revealed “longstanding connections” between Kaneko and Ji and Cui.
Heng Sheng Junket
The mother and son duo accrued considerable wealth in the Macau junket sector during the 2000s and 2010s, serving affluent gamblers and managing VIP traffic to the region’s casinos. At its peak, their business, Heng Sheng Junket, operated multiple VIP rooms and numerous tables across various Macau casinos.
In 2023, Ji was labeled the “leader of a criminal syndicate” by a Chinese court due to his previous junket operations. His current location remains unknown.
Before commencing the Saipan resort, Cui and Ji established a temporary casino within a shopping mall, featuring 16 baccarat tables. For the first half of 2017, IPI reported a staggering $25 billion in VIP bets—a figure analysts claim could not have been legitimately reached.