Ernst & Young whistleblower makes claims regarding audits of crime-linked gambling firms

Joe Howie claims the Big Four legal firm provided clean audits to gaming operations known to be related to international crime organizations 

Ernst & Young (EY) is under fire after a former partner and whistleblower Joe Howie claimed the firm knowingly gave auditing and compliance services to gambling businesses known to be associated with international organized crime, including the Chinese mafia. 

Indeed, Howie claims these failings allowed these organizations to engage in money laundering and misinformation. He is being represented by Wigdor LLP in court, having filed a lawsuit against the firm.  

Specifically, EY is alleged to have provided clean audits to businesses related to Alvin Chau and Levo Chan, both of whom had connections to Triad syndicates via VIP gambling rooms and were arrested in 2023 for 18 and 14 years, respectively.

EY’s internal risk assessments were allegedly either incomplete or altered, and it is alleged that these failings expanded outside of Asia, as EY also had clients connected to organized crime in the US and around the world.  

Howie has since exited the firm, claiming he was forced out following 35 years of service, 24 of which were as a Partner. He has said he brought up EY’s failings internally in the past, but the firm allegedly did not take effective action against them.  

Beth Turner

Visit Profile

Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.