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
Casino magnate and Republican Party donor Sheldon Adelson has cancer and has not been at his company’s offices in Las Vegas since Christmas.
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.
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.
Adelson also suffers from peripheral neuropathy, a condition that affects the nervous system.
The billionaire and his wife, Miriam, gave President Donald Trump’s campaign US$30 million in 2016. They followed that by contributing US$100 million to the Republican Party for the 2018 midterm elections.
Adelson is Las Vegas Sands’ largest shareholder and regularly joins company earnings calls, but was absent when it reported results on January 23. Sands president Robert Goldstein said at the time Adelson was “a little bit under the weather”.
“We met with him yesterday,” Goldstein said of Adelson during the January call. “He’s taking some medications making him a bit drowsy, so he decided this morning to take a rain check on this one.”
Adelson was expected to testify in the case brought by Suen and his company, Round Square. He testified in 2013 and 2008 in the case’s two previous trials.
