Casino tycoon Stanley Ho’s son and daughter face scandals over alleged wage theft, infidelity, and marital rift

Following Stanley’s death in 2020, half-siblings Laurinda, 34, and Mario, 30, became prominent heirs expected to preserve the family’s wealth and influence. Both married figures in the entertainment industry, drawing public attention to their personal lives. In recent months, however, each has been embroiled in separate controversies that have intensified scrutiny on the Ho family.

Mario accused of wage theft, infidelity

Mario Ho, son of Macau's casino tycoon Stanley Ho. Photo courtesy of Mario's Instagram

Mario, son of Stanley and his fourth wife Angela Leong, was recognized early for his academic achievements. At 11, he scored 109 out of 120 in a global mental arithmetic competition, later earning a place at U.K.’s Oxford University and completing his degree in three years before pursuing a master’s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S.

He went on to build a reputation as a businessman and devoted husband to Chinese supermodel Ming Xi, 36. The couple married in 2019 after a widely publicized proposal featuring 99,999 roses in Shanghai, China, and have two children: a son, Ronaldo, 6, and a three-year-old daughter.

In late July, several streamers and employees claiming to work for Wuhan eStar, an eSports firm under Mario’s NIP Group Inc., accused the company of withholding salaries for six months and failing to provide labor contracts, China’s news outlet Sina reported. Without contracts, workers said they lacked legal protection and resorted to media exposure to demand payment.

NIP, listed on Nasdaq on July 26, 2024, became the first Chinese eSports company to go public in the U.S. At 29, Mario became the youngest founder of a Nasdaq-listed firm in Asia, according to financial news site Yicai Global. As chairman and CEO, he holds a 14.2% stake, making him the largest shareholder. He has not publicly commented on the wage dispute.

Mario Ho and his wife Ming Xi (left) with his sister Laurinda Ho at an event in 2024. Photo courtesy of Mario's Instagram

During late July, more rumors surfaced that Mario had fathered a child with ex-girlfriend Yumi Bai of Singaporean pop duo BY2, whom he dated in 2014.

Allegations also linked him romantically to Bai’s twin sister Miko and even to his own sisters, including youngest sibling Alice Ho and Laurinda, Channel News Asia reported.

Mario took to Weibo to reject the claims. "First they said I had a child with another woman, which I already denied back in 2019 — no child! Then they said I dated both of sisters, which just left me completely confused," he said, as quoted by 8days.

He condemned the incest rumors as fabrications, adding: "Everyone’s imagination is too wild. What’s next? Dating aliens from the pyramids?" He continued: "It’s all fake, fake, fake. Just because a woman takes a photo with someone doesn’t mean you should jump to conclusions about romance, affairs, or children. Please show some respect."

Laurinda rumored to face marital strain

Laurinda Ho, daughter casino tycoon Stanley Ho. Photo courtesy of Laurinda's Instagram

Laurinda, daughter of Stanley and his third wife Ina Chan, is known for her prominent family background, striking appearance, and fashionable image.

She married Canadian-Chinese actor Shawn Dou, 37, in 2023 in a lavish Bali wedding reportedly costing $6.3 million. However, by early 2024, rumors of separation began circulating. According to Chinese news platform QQ, Dou did not take part in the Ho family’s business after the wedding, and speculation was fueled by the couple’s absence from public events together and claims they had not registered their marriage.

On their wedding anniversary in April 2024, neither publicly marked the occasion. Laurinda has not posted photos with Dou for more than a year, and they have not appeared together at events. In May, her birthday celebration photos showed close friends but no sign of her husband.

On May 9, Dou posted a brief "HBD" message tagging Laurinda, to which she replied with a heart emoji, a move interpreted by some as a subtle denial of marital rift rumors.

Observers noted a shift from the couple’s earlier public displays of affection to a more private and distant dynamic. While they continue to appear together on major occasions, fans remain divided, with some defending their privacy and others viewing the absence as confirmation of marital strain, Sinchew reported.