Wynn, 76, has denied the accusations published by the Wall Street Journal as “preposterous” and said they were instigated by his ex-wife to seek advantage in their divorce lawsuit.
“In the last couple of weeks, I have found myself the focus of an avalanche of negative publicity…I have reached the conclusion I cannot continue to be effective in my current roles,” he said in a statement.
His decision to step down as CEO and chairman from the company he founded follows his resignation as the finance chairman of the U.S. Republican Party’s fundraising arm, the Republican National Committee, in January.
Shares in Wynn Resorts, worth around US$17 billion, have tumbled nearly 20% since the Journal report on January 26. Shares in Wynn Macau Ltd slumped around 17% before they were put on a trading halt on Wednesday. Its Macau business has been a goldmine for Wynn Resorts, generating more than 75% of its total revenues.
Maddox, who has been with Wynn Resorts since it was founded in 2002, is seen as a firm hand and was widely viewed as a favored protege of Wynn, analysts and executives have said. He has been a non-executive director of Wynn Macau and was its chief financial officer until 2014.
Source: GMB / Reuters