Listen to this article:A man convicted of running an illegal bingo operation that generated tens of millions of dollars has been placed on the Most Wanted list by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Authorities are searching for Michael Lizaso Marasigan, who prosecutors say helped organise a scheme that misled bingo players about where the proceeds from bingo games were going.
The case relates to bingo events organised by the Guam Shrine Club. Players were told that money raised from the games would go to charity to support children who needed treatment at Shriners Hospital for Children in Hawaii. The proceeds were meant to help cover the travel costs for patients and their families.
However, investigators found that the funds were not used this way at all. During the trial, evidence was presented that showed the bingo operation generated roughly $34 million between 2015 and 2021. According to the authorities, after prizes were awarded and operational expenses paid, the scheme produced a profit of about $10.9 million.
A few years back, the former CEO of Tak Chun Group, Levo Chan, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the Macau VIP room scheme and illegal gambling operations.
According to prosecutors, around $10.7 million of this money was diverted to Marasigan and others involved in the operation rather than donated to charity.
The case saw criminal charges brought against three defendants in May 2023: Marasigan, Christine Chan, and Jose Arthur “Art” Chan Jr. The trial took place in spring 2025, and it took the jury five days of deliberation to return guilty verdicts on every count.
The convictions covered a number of offences, including operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to prosecutors, the evidence revealed that players had been lied to about the purpose of the bingo games and that the organisers personally benefited from the money raised.
After the trial, federal authorities began pursuing the forfeiture of money linked to the scheme. At a hearing in November 2025, prosecutors asked the District Court of Guam to order the defendants to surrender several million dollars believed to be tied to the illegal operation. The requested amounts included nearly $5.6 million from Marasigan, approximately $871,500 from Christine Chan, and $339,013 from Art Chan. Sentencing has not yet taken place.
After the trial concluded, Marasigan asked the court for permission to travel to the Philippines to receive medical treatment. The request was granted because he had previously made similar trips while the case was ongoing.
However, he did not return to the United States after leaving in June 2025. Court records show that he informed his probation officer he had missed his scheduled flight and planned to take another one the following day. However, since then, he has not had any contact with authorities.
A federal arrest warrant was issued when Marasigan didn’t return as required by the conditions of his release. Investigators later added him to the Most Wanted list of the FBI as part of efforts to find him and bring him back to face sentencing.
During the legal process, the defence attempted to challenge the verdicts. One argument put forward was that prosecutors had altered their theory of the case during the trial. The defendants also claimed possible juror misconduct after jurors presented a thank-you card to court staff and the presiding judge at the end of the proceedings.
The defence argued that the wording in the card implied the jurors may have formed an opinion about the case before reaching their verdict. However, the court dismissed the argument and ruled that the card was a harmless gesture and did not show any bias or impropriety.
Marasigan is not the only person involved in gambling-related schemes who has managed to evade authorities.
One famous example is Ruja Ignatova, often referred to as the “Cryptoqueen”. Ignatova disappeared in 2017 after being charged in connection with the OneCoin cryptocurrency fraud and was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in 2022.
Another is Cheung Chi Tai, a former Macau junket executive who became a fugitive after authorities in mainland China accused him of organising illegal cross-border gambling operations and laundering large amounts of money.
US prosecutors are also looking for Anatoly Tokhtakhounov, who is linked to organised crime and has been accused of running illegal gambling and money-laundering networks tied to the Russian mob. Tokhtakhounov has remained outside US custody for years.
There have also been cases involving offshore betting operations that have resulted in similar situations. A number of executives linked to the BetOnSports sportsbook prosecution avoided extradition for a long time by staying in jurisdictions that did not recognise US gambling offences.
Marasigan has now joined the list of international fugitives connected to gambling-related crimes for helping with a scheme that misled bingo players. In the meantime, the courts are moving forward with proceedings against the other convicted defendants.
We do not sell or share your information with anyone. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Latest
