Billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson in ‘dire’ health, getting cancer treatment

Businessman is dealing with ‘side effects’ from medication he is taking as treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Las Vegas Sands said

Reading Time:2 minutes

The ‘Eiffel Tower’ at The Parisian Macao Hotel. Photo: SCMP

Published: 2:07pm, 1 Mar 2019Updated: 2:07pm, 1 Mar 2019

Casino magnate and Republican Party donor Sheldon Adelson has cancer and has not been at his company’s offices in Las Vegas since Christmas.

Adelson’s poor health was revealed earlier this week by one of his company’s lawyers during a court hearing in a years-old case brought by Hong Kong businessman Richard Suen. The founder and CEO of Las Vegas Sands did not join the casino operator’s conference call with analysts and investors following its earnings report in January.

Lawyer James Jimmerson told the court on Monday he learned last month “of the dire nature of Mr Adelson’s condition, health”. The comment from the lawyer came when discussing whether Adelson could sit for a deposition in the case and was first reported by The Nevada Independent.

Adelson at US President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2017. Photo: Washington Post

Las Vegas Sands on Thursday told Associated Press Adelson has cancer.

“Mr Adelson is still dealing with certain side effects from medication he is taking for the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” company spokesman Ron Reese said in an email. “These side effects have restricted his availability to travel or keep regular office hours.”

The effects have not prevented Adelson, 85, from fulfilling his duties as chairman and CEO, Reese said. The company expects he will return after he finishes his treatment.