Las Vegas High Roller Who Reported Strip CEO to Gaming Control Facing Federal Charges

Article ByDavid Weir

April 19, 2023

Spread the Word:

Posted in: Nevada Gambling News, US Casino News

Frequent Las Vegas casino visitor Brandon Sattler of San Diego, California, was this month indicted on three counts of wire fraud related to his casino security firm, SattCom.

Sattler is no stranger to Nevada courtrooms, having been involved in a high-profile complaint against Resorts World Las Vegas last year.

The prolific gambler, who has been visiting Las Vegas casinos for more than two decades, was banned from Resorts World Las Vegas in 2021 after his name appeared on bankruptcy filings.

Sattler took the ban personally, and proceeded to give damning testimony against Resorts World and its CEO, Scott Sibella.

However, upon investigation by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), Sattler’s allegations were “found to be unsubstantiated” by the regulator.

Now, Sattler has been summoned to court, faced with three counts of wire fraud on a federal level. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also on the case. The charges were first filed earlier in April, but were only recently revealed publicly.

$10 Million in Loans

The feds must now believe they have enough evidence to convict Sattler of defrauding investors in his security firm.

Three Nevada residents stumped up more than $10 million in cash loans to Sattler’s business, SattComm Video. He promised them that he had various contracts to install cameras at Las Vegas casinos, which he only needed the capital to fulfill and start making a return.

“After obtaining the loans, defendant continued his misrepresentations to extend the maturity date of the loans, delay the deadline for repayment, and lull his victims into a false sense of security that the loans would be repaid,” read the indictment.

US Assistant Attorney Jim Fang signed off on the case. Prosecutors believe much of the $10 million was spent at Las Vegas casinos, retaining Sattler’s high roller lifestyle and status.

Sattler was also charged with two counts of wire fraud back in 2005, and spent six months in jail in Texas, according to court records.  

Thorough Investigation

One person who probably won’t lose much sleep over Sattler’s court case is Scott Sibella.

Sattler accused the Resorts World CEO of lying in a public hearing before the NGCB in 2022. His company was also accused of hiring a convicted felon in relation to a taco food truck stand on the Las Vegas Resort World’s premises.

Sattler also claimed to have done “a lot of different things together” with Sibella.

“We’ve partied … we did drugs together, drank together … went out to eat together. We probably had sex with multiple women at the same time,” he said in 2022.

For his part, Sibella said the two only met twice, and that any allegations of impropriety were untrue.

“He’s been a customer for 20 years. I don’t know him from Adam,” he told the NGCB.

The regulator sided with Resorts World in the event, finding all allegations unsubstantiated after a “thorough investigation”.

Things aren’t looking too good for Sattler now, either, since the feds have indicted him in this latest case.

He currently remains free on a personal recognizance bond. Nevada’s US District Court has given Sattler and his defense 30 days to prepare for his next court hearing.