Justice Department sues Vegas magnate Steve Wynn to register as agent of China

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Justice Department is suing hotel magnate Stephen Wynn to force his registration as an agent of the Chinese government who allegedly lobbied for the removal of a Chinese businessman seeking asylum in the U.S.

In a news release, the Justice Department alleges that between June and August of 2017, Wynn contacted former President Donald Trump and his administration officials to relay China's request to "cancel the visa or otherwise remove from the United States a Chinese businessperson" who had sought asylum in the United States.

The civil lawsuit is the first such enforcement action under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in more than 30 years, officials said.

Wynn was acting at the request of a Chinese official, Sun Lijun, according to the Justice Department. Wynn spoke to Trump during dinner and over the phone about expelling the Chinese businessperson from the United States.

"The Justice Department accuses Wynn of lobbying for China to protect his business interests," according to the news release, which notes that Wynn's company-owned and operated casinos in Macau, a special administrative region in China.

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"The department alleges that Wynn acted at the request of (China) out of a desire to protect his business interests in Macau."

Wynn sold a Palm Beach, Florida, home last month for $32 million, but still owns other homes in the community. He also cut a six-figure check to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' political committee last October.

Wynn resigned as chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts, the company he founded, in 2018 after being accused of sexual misconduct. He also resigned as the Republican National Committee's finance chair.

Wynn is worth $3.3 billion, according to Forbes, which notes that he "created some of Las Vegas' most notable casinos, including The Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, and Wynn Las Vegas."

He's been a longtime donor to Republican candidates and the GOP. During the 2020 election cycle, Wynn and his spouse were among the nation's top political contributors, donating $12.5 million to conservative outside spending groups, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Contributing: Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY