US Sexual Scandal Reaches Macau

The virulent sexual backlash that began late last year in the United States has reached all the way to Macau, with the enclave’s gaming regulator expressing concern over accusations of sexual impropriety against Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn, according to Asia Gaming Brief, a Macau-based industry newsletter.

Representatives from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau reportedly have met with top executives from Wynn Macau in order to “understand the situation,” before releasing a statement, the newsletter said.

Wynn has been called a “great friend” by US President Donald Trump. He serves as the national finance chairman for the Republican Party in the United States. He became the latest top figure to fall on March 2, when the Wall Street Journal published a story detailing allegations of sexual misconduct that allegedly included “dozens of people” who have worked at his casinos. According to the Journal story, Wynn allegedly pad a manicurist US$7.5 million after the gaming mogul persisted in asking the woman to have sex with him in his private office after she gave him a manicure in 2005.

The uproar over sexual misbehavior by men began in the United States in early October, when the New York Times published a story indicating that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein had sexually molested some of the most illustrious actresses in Hollywood with astonishingly crude attacks. Uma Thurman was the latest, issuing a statement that Weinstein hat attacked her repeatedly.

Since that time, a long list of A-list figures including actors, orchestra conductors, politicians, directors, singers, talk show hosts, athletes, chefs, authors, journalists, talk show hosts and others from all walks of life have been outed as sexual predators, forced to apologize, and seen their careers ended.

Shares in Wynn Resorts fell 10 percent hours after the Journal published its story despite the fact that he categorically denied assaulting any woman, calling the idea “preposterous.”

Nonetheless, Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau issued a statement expressing concern “over reports some days ago that Steve Wynn, chairman and chief executive of Wynn Resorts (Macau) might have been involved in inappropriate behaviors in the US. The bureau had a meeting with the Wynn Resorts (Macau) management today to learn more about this,” the statement read.

“The bureau reiterates that the Macau SAR is concerned about the eligibility of the casino gaming concessionaires’ major shareholders and directors and the principal employees in casinos, and the requirements will be strictly enforced,” it added.

Wynn Resorts announced on Tuesday that it had formed a special committee to investigate the allegations put forth by the Wall Street Journal.

In an SEC filing, the company noted that the committee is chaired by Ms. Patricia Mulroy, a member of the Board’s Corporate Governance and Compliance Committees and a former member of the Nevada Gaming Commission.