Steve Wynn has won an appeals court ruling dismissing a US government lawsuit seeking to compel him to register as a foreign agent for advocating the extradition of Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui.
Wynn Resorts co-founder Steve Wynn has won an appeals court ruling dismissing a US government lawsuit seeking to compel him to register as a foreign agent for advocating the extradition of Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui.
On Friday (14 June), the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed a lower court’s decision to dismiss the case.
The case dates back to October 2017, when Wynn allegedly informed then-President Donald Trump and others that China wanted the US to extradite Wengui.
Wengui has lived in the United States since 2015, having reportedly fled China to avoid corruption charges.
Last year, he was arrested in New York, accused by the Department of Justice of orchestrating a fraud conspiracy exceeding $1bn. His trial commenced in May.
A four-year letter exchange
In May 2018, Wynn received a letter from the Department of Justice advising him to register as a foreign agent.
The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) requires individuals lobbying American officials on behalf of foreign principals to register as foreign agents.
Wynn refused, disputing the government’s conclusion that he was required to register.
For four years, Wynn exchanged letters with the government over the dispute but never registered under FARA, according to court documents.
In May 2022, the Justice Department sued Wynn to compel compliance with FARA.
Legal appeals
The district court dismissed the complaint, reasoning that FARA only applies to ongoing violations, and years had passed since Wynn was required to file.
The government, however, appealed that ruling, arguing that it addressed FARA only in a criminal context.
On appeal, the court ruled again that because “Wynn long ago ceased acting as a foreign agent, he has no present obligation to register.”
Wynn co-founded Wynn Resorts with his then-wife, Elaine, in 2002. He resigned as Wynn Resorts’ chairman and CEO in 2018.