Steve Wynn has resigned as CEO of his casino and resorts empire. Wynn says he can't do his job while battling an "avalanche of negative publicity" from claims of unwanted sexual advances. Reuters
Former casino mogul Steve Wynn is suing a former employee of his empire for defamation over comments about his alleged sexual misconduct.
Wynn filed a lawsuit against Jorgen Nielsen, ex-artistic director of the Wynn Las Vegas salon, in Nevada state court last week for negative remarks he made to the Wall Street Journal and ABC News, the Journal reported.
Nielsen was quoted in news coverage, which detailed alleged sexual mistreatment of women that went back decades. The reports included numerous allegations that Wynn forced staffers to perform sex acts on him and that one situation ended with a $7.5 million settlement.
In the lawsuit, the casino resort developer called Nielsen's comments "“false and defamatory," the Journal said.
Wynn, who helped transform Las Vegas into the world-famous destination it is today, has denied the sexual misconduct reports, explaining that they're the result of a smear campaign by his ex-wife, Elaine Wynn.Â
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Wynn resigned as CEO of Wynn Resorts in February and quit as the Republican National Committee's finance chair the month before.
On Friday, Wynn's former company announced that its new casino, slated to open in suburban Boston next year, would be called Encore Boston Harbor, not Wynn Boston Harbor.
Wynn -- who created the Mirage, Treasure Island and the Bellagio in Las Vegas --  is on the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans with an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion.
Former NBC News reporter Linda Vester said Tom Brokaw groped her, tried to forcibly kiss her and made inappropriate overtures attempting to have an affair, according to reports published in Variety and the Washington Post. Brokaw denies it. (April 27) AP
Follow USA TODAY reporter Zlati Meyer on Twitter: @ZlatiMeyer
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