Within days of arriving in the US gaming mecca, he and a number of his associates were arrested in an FBI sting operation targeting online sports betting at Caesar's Palace Hotel in Las Vegas. Phua and several other men are expected to face trial in coming weeks. Malaysian national Phua, 50, has denied any wrongdoing.

Phone transcripts lodged by prosecutors on Monday (US time) appear to show Phua's son Darren, 23, telling a friend via instant messaging that an "under the table" payment of between HK$4 million and HK$5 million would secure his father's release.

The transcribed message in the court documents alleges that Phua's son tells another man: "We just received a call from Macau saying that the one who arrested Paul is a friend of Paul and they are negotiating now. Hopefully they just want money."

Malaysian national Phua is considered by the FBI to be one of the key players in the online betting business.

Legal documents - contested by Phua's lawyers - suggest he plays a major role in what is probably the world's largest online sports gambling agency - IBCBet.

Yesterday Phua's lawyer David Chesnoff dismissed suggestions that he bribed his way out of police custody in the former Portuguese enclave.

"We vehemently deny these allegations which, interestingly, were unknown to law enforcement but for their illegal search and were only cited to prejudice Mr Phua," said Chesnoff.

A spokesman for the office of the Macau Secretary for Security said it did "not have any information to provide on this issue."

The Macau Public Prosecutions Office, where Phua was reportedly sent after his arrest could not be reached for comment.

Last month, Chesnoff filed motions to suppress evidence obtained by FBI agents during a search of Phua's Las Vegas villa which the defence lawyer deemed unconstitutional. The attorney also called on prosecutors to furnish "real evidence" of Phua's alleged involvement with the 14K.