Summary
- DOJ has accused Steve Wynn of lobbying Trump on behalf of China
- Wynn did not register as a foreign agent, violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act
- Wynn has denied the accusations and will contest the case
Steve Wynn is facing legal action over allegations he lobbied the Trump administration on behalf of China during his time as CEO and chairman of Wynn Resorts.
According to the lawsuit, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on May 17 in federal court in Washington D.C., Wynn refused to register as a foreign agent for the Chinese government despite having been repeatedly advised by the authorities. The former casino magnate is accused of contacting President Donald Trump and members of his government on behalf of China to negotiate the return of a Chinese citizen to his home country.
The Justice Department stated that Mr. Wynn carried out the task upon the request of the Chinese government allegedly to protect his business interests in Macau where Wynn properties are operating.
The lobbying allegedly took place from June 2017 to August 2017 during which the Macau government had put in place restrictions on the number of slot machines and gaming tables running at three casinos owned and operated by Wynn Resorts.
According to the Justice Department,
Mr. Wynn’s failure to register as a foreign agent on behalf of China is a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)
Under the law it requires American citizens engaged in domestic political activities, such as trying to influence policy decisions in the US on behalf of foreign interests, to register with the Justice Department and make public their relationship with the foreign principal.
Wynn Denies the Allegations
The Justice Department is asking the court to oblige Wynn to submit a full registration statement and any other further relief deemed just and proper by the court.
Wynn, 80, has denied the allegations. The lawyers representing Wynn, Brian Heberlig and Reid Weingarten, stated that the former gaming executive never acted as an agent for the People’s Republic of China and therefore was not required to register under FARA. They intend to fight the court action.
Wynn stepped down from the helm of Wynn Resorts in 2018 over damning allegations of sexual harassment, indecent exposure, coercion, and sexual assault by nine unnamed women, some of whom were Wynn’s subordinates.
Following his resignation, Wynn let go of all his stocks in the company and moved to Florida where he is currently residing as a private citizen. It’s still not clear what penalties could be handed down to the former casino mogul should he lose the case.
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