Hard Rock International has terminated a senior executive following allegations of improper betting practices at its Dominican Republic casino, creating complications for the company’s bid to open a casino complex in Queens with Mets owner Steve Cohen.
Hard Rock dismissed Pariente after a whistleblower alleged he facilitated suspicious financial dealings with casino patrons and permitted unpaid credit markers to remain on the books at the Hard Rock Punta Cana property in the Dominican Republic. Pariente had been serving as the company’s senior vice president for hotel and casino operations.
The timing creates additional pressure as gaming companies face increasing regulatory oversight across all platforms. Beyond traditional casino floors, the industry has expanded rapidly into internet-based gambling, with real money online casinos now offering everything from slot machines to live dealer blackjack in states where digital gaming is legal. These sites provide gamblers with a safe and secure means of gambling online.
Hard Rock completed an internal investigation using independent law firms specializing in gaming regulatory matters before making the termination decision. The company confirmed the separation on Tuesday, saying it takes such allegations seriously.
The scandal comes at a bad time for Hard Rock and Cohen, who submitted a joint bid for one of three state licenses to operate casinos in the New York City region. Their proposal calls for an $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field, but gaming regulators will examine each bidder’s background during the review process.
The misconduct allegations were brought to light by RJ Cipriani, a frequent high-roller, who documented how Pariente allegedly orchestrated the restructuring of a Chinese patron’s $100,000 casino deposit. According to Cipriani, casino staff deliberately fragmented this large sum into 33 separate installments of $3,000 to evade financial reporting requirements. Federal tax enforcement agencies and multiple state gaming commissions have been made aware of these potential violations.
Cipriani commended the rapid response from Hard Rock’s leadership, particularly CEO Jim Allen, following his formal complaint submitted several weeks earlier. The whistleblower stressed his desire to see the Caribbean casino issues resolved without derailing Hard Rock’s ambitious plans for New York’s competitive casino licensing process.
Hard Rock International operates as the gaming arm of Florida’s Seminole Tribe, running 18 casinos across the US, Canada, and Punta Cana. The company faces stiff competition for the New York licenses, with eight total bids submitted to the state Gaming Facility Location Board.
The Metropolitan Park proposal from Hard Rock and Cohen at Willets Point represents one of the largest casino development projects ever proposed in New York, dwarfing smaller gaming facilities in Finger Lakes. The partnership pairs Cohen’s real estate expertise with Hard Rock’s operational experience.
Gaming regulators usually perform a comprehensive background check on casino license candidates and look into financial records and the history of compliance. The firing shows that Hard Rock is ready to act in a rather radical way in the case of compliance concerns.
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