Even before breaking ground on the resort in 2015, Imperial Pacific set up a temporary casino in a shopping mall. The next year, the FBI raided the offices of Imperial Pacific, the sitting Republican governor, Ralph Torres, and other businesses in Saipan, including a consultancy working for Imperial Pacific. In a presentation to the commonwealth’s government as part of his bid for the casino, Kaneko identified himself as the group’s chief executive officer. Imperial Pacific filed for bankruptcy in Saipan on April 19, 2024, and was delisted in Hong Kong a couple of months later. His company paid $12.95 million for the property and the casino license — effectively clearing Imperial Pacific of its $169 million in liabilities.

Source: Washington Post January 01, 2026 08:32 UTC