Whale Claims Casinos Kept Him Drunk and High on Pills to Land Him

The wealthy scion of a family that founded a novelty importing business claims two Las Vegas casinos got him to gamble millions on credit while keeping him drunk and high on prescription pain pills. Terrance Watanabe says he shouldn't have to pay back markers for over $14 million the Rio Casino and Caesar's Palace are suing to collect, because they took advantage of his incompetent state to build the debts.

The Las Vegas Sun quotes a letter from Watanabe's attorney as saying the heir to the Oriental Trading Company was incoherent and “incapable of forming the criminal intent”  to borrow the money while scheming to not pay it back.

Watanabe was indicted at the end of last month, after being charged by Clark County's bad-check division for owing $12 million to Caeasar's Palace and $2.7 million to the Rio, both properties of Harrah's Entertainment., stemming from dates in 2007.

Chesnoff says three casino employees will testify that Watanabe slurred his speech, stumbled when attempting to walk, and even fell asleep at gaming tables, all while casino executives encouraged him to keep playing. Further, he says the three will verify that Caesar's Palace supplied Lortab, a prescription pain killer, to Watanabe in a small children's candy container.

Stuart Mitchell, a dealer at Red Rock Resort who sometimes accompanied Watanabe, says the chemical combination of alcohol and drugs “significantly intoxicated and impaired” Watanabe.

“Rather than assisting Mr. Watanabe in dealing with his intoxication, the Caesars Palace floor managers and pit bosses would turn their heads,” Chesnoff's letter quotes Mitchell.

David Chesnoff, representing Watanabe, says his client lost over $112 million at Harrah's casinos in 2007.