The Department of Justice has reportedly told casino mogul Steve Wynn to register as a lobbyist for China over his 2017 efforts to curry favor with Chinese authorities.
At the root of the order is Wynn’s efforts to persuade American officials to send Guo Wengui, a Chinese businessman with ties to former President Donald Trump, back to his home country, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Guo, who fled to New York in 2014, has been charged with a range of crimes in China including sexual assault and corruption — and Chinese authorities consider him a fugitive.
He has denied all allegations, saying that he simply fell out of favor with Communist Party officials in China.
Prosecutors have prepared evidence about Wynn’s work in recent months, readying for court if he doesn’t register as a foreign lobbyist on his own, the Journal reported.
The law, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, doesn’t provide for civil penalties, but the Justice Department could seek a court order to force Wynn to comply, the report said.
Guo Wengui fled to New York in 2014.AFP via Getty Images
“Steve Wynn never served as an agent or lobbyist for China or anyone else,” Wynn’s attorney,
