Palacios’ Call for FBI Investigation into Chinese Influence Preceded Sudden Death
Governor Arnold Palacios, a vocal critic of corruption and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), died suddenly on July 23, 2025, hours after a “medical incident” at his Saipan office, raising suspicions.
In April 2025, Palacios urged an FBI investigation into the Imperial Palace casino, citing “considerable evidence” of money laundering and immigration violations tied to CCP influence.
The casino, linked to Chinese junket operators, reported $5.3 billion in VIP bets in three months in 2015, dwarfing Macau’s casinos.
Despite FBI raids in 2019, the investigation was closed in July 2025, baffling observers.
Palacios’ push to audit $1.6 billion in federal funds and reduce CNMI’s reliance on Chinese money made him enemies.
His death, amid a strategic U.S. territory’s vulnerability, demands scrutiny to protect national security.
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