Kamel Nacif Borge

Kamel Nacif Borge is a Mexican businessman of Lebanese descent, known in Mexico as "El Rey de la Mezclilla" (the Denim King). He is one of the richest men in Mexico and one of the biggest and most famous gamblers in the world. He is said to have built the Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, with all the money he lost at the casino's baccarat tables.

It is said that Kamel Nacif forged his own future by working really hard since the time he was 15-years-old. He started out as a small merchant by importing fabrics from overseas until he eventually built a textile empire that employed over 20,000 people. In 1999, he partnered with an apparel company known as the Tarrant Apparel Group, who manufactured denim jeans for brands such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Chaps, Gap, Abercrombie and Fitch, and American Eagle. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05E7DF1F3FF933A25750C0A96F958260 COMPANY NEWS; TARRANT APPAREL TO ACQUIRE DENIM MILL IN MEXICO] ]

In 2005– 06, he became embroiled in scandals of political and sexual nature. During this time he was accused of negotiating the non-approval of gambling laws in Mexico with Emilio Gamboa Patrón. He was also named in "Demons of Eden", the expose by journalist Lydia Cacho, as having pulled strings to protect child abuser Jean Succar Kuri. Subsequently he had her charged with defamation and was heard on tape negotiating with Puebla governor Mario Marín for Cacho to be captured by police and raped in jail. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/31/AR2007033101359.html Horror Story Lydia Cacho's Exposé of Pedophilia Has Her Critics Up in Arms] ]

ee also

*Mario Marín
*Lydia Cacho Ribeiro

References

*New York Times, 2006-02-20, [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/20/international/americas/20cacho.html "Defamation Case Raises Issues of Fairness in Mexico"]