PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Cui Lijie, a Chinese national and billionaire financier behind a controversial casino in Saipan, on suspicion of immigration violations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cui Lijie, her son Ji Xiaobo, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Imperial Pacific International LLC.

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📍WHEN & WHERE: Cui was detained on Tuesday in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory in the West Pacific.

🎯IMPACT: Cui’s arrest highlights ongoing scrutiny around Chinese investment in U.S. territories and raises questions about immigration enforcement and visa policies.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have detained Cui Lijie, a Chinese national and former majority shareholder of Imperial Pacific International LLC, on suspicion of immigration violations. The arrest took place in Saipan, part of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. unincorporated territory in the West Pacific.

Cui, 68, was reportedly detained by ICE’s Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations on Tuesday and is currently being held at the Department of Corrections in the village of Susupe. Local newspaper Marianas Variety reported the arrest, but ICE has not disclosed further details or announced a date for her hearing with an immigration judge.

Cui and her son Ji Xiaobo, both Chinese nationals, were instrumental in developing the Imperial Pacific Palace casino and a $600 million beachside hotel. Their ventures in the gaming industry followed their success in the junket industry in Macao, which promotes high-stakes VIP gambling experiences. However, the casino’s operations were marred by allegations of unlawful employment of Chinese illegal immigrants, safety violations, and suspected bribery of local officials.

In 2020, several executives associated with Imperial Pacific International and its contractor, MCC International Saipan, faced charges related to the illegal employment of foreign workers and the transfer of over $24 million to the United States to support unlawful activities. The casino was shut down in March 2020 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2024, citing $165.8 million in liabilities.

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