Stanley Ho’s nephew’s pimping trial begins

The nephew of Macau casino icon Stanley Ho has lost his bid to keep details of his pimping trial from the public.

Alan Ho was one of six individuals arrested one year ago and accused of controlling what Macau authorities called the special administrative region’s largest ever illegal prostitution ring. Ho is/was an executive director of the Hotel Lisboa, which is part of the SJM Holdings empire.

The raid also netted some 96 prostitutes working out of 100 rooms at the hotel. The girls each reportedly paid the hotel RMB 150k (US $22,800) per year, and Macau police allege that the setup netted its operators an annual profit of MOP 400m ($50m).

Prostitution is legal in Macau, so long as it’s conducted in a private residence, while public solicitation and organized prostitution are forbidden. Pimping convictions carry sentences of one to five years – up to eight years for particularly egregious cases – while members of criminal organizations can face sentences of up to 10 years.