Steve Wynn's Ex-Wife Answers Tough Questions From Mass. Gaming Commission
BOSTON (CBS) - Elaine Wynn, the former wife of Steve Wynn, answered some tough questions from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. One of them, bringing her back to the moment she found out about the allegations an employee was raped and impregnated by Mr. Wynn.
"He denied that anything of a sexual nature took place," Elaine Wynn said. "He described he was being extorted by this individual."
The commission is considering whether Wynn Resorts should keep its gaming license. On the third day of the commission's investigation, Elaine Wynn spoke about her former husband's behavior in the work place.
"I would say bully-ish," she said.
When asked if she knew of any of these actions being sexual, she said she was not aware that they were.
"Steve Wynn was tough. Tough boss," Matthew Maddox said.
Current CEO Matthew Maddox recalled when he first got word about employees feeling uncomfortable in the work place.
"I said to knock it off and it got back to me that it was taken care of," he said.
The 200 page report from the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau details the timeline of when Ms. Wynn found out about the allegations and what was disclosed from there.
"Did you believe Massachusetts regulators were misled?"
"I did not believe the veracity of the claims," Ms. Wynn responded.
Ms. Wynn insisted she did not learn of the allegations from 2005 until the midst of her divorce in 2009.
"Let's get to the truth. No more guessing... let's get to the truth," Maddox said.
Maddox told the commission transformative measures have been taken to make sure Wynn Resorts is now a safe and supportive place to work.
Ms. Wynn, admitting much of Thursday's testimony was hard to hear, some of it for the first time.
One example being, Ms. Wynn said she had no idea she was under secret surveillance by Wynn Resorts until testimony revealed that Thursday.
Yet she didn't leave before making her position clear.
"Consider that I am here by choice. And at the moment that my shares were free and clear to sell, I would have had an opportunity to do so and leave this company, but I chose not to. I am here because I am Team Wynn," she said.
As for the casino's gaming license, a decision on its fate has not been made.
Steve Wynn has not showed up to any of the hearings in South Boston and denies all allegations of sexual misconduct and/or wrongdoing.
