Francis’ defense was sunk last week when music producer Quincy Jones took the stand and denied having told Francis of Wynn’s alleged threats. The Francis/Wynn brouhaha began in 2007 when the soft-porn producer ran up a $2.5m marker at a Wynn Resorts casino in Las Vegas, yet only paid Wynn $500k. When Wynn Resorts pressed Francis to honor his debts, Francis made the allegation about Steve and the shovel. That launched a flurry of back and forth lawsuits, most of which Francis has come out on the losing end, including a $7.5m judgment against Francis in February.
Neither Wynn nor Francis attended Monday’s court proceeding, but Wynn’s attorney Barry Langberg took pleasure in telling the media that Francis “apparently thought that he could intimidate [the Wynn casino] and Steve Wynn into backing off collecting the legal debt.” However, knowing Francis, he’ll likely appeal the verdict. Francis told TMZ the judge had erred twice: first, in allowing the jury to consider comments Francis made about Wynn on the Good Morning America television program, and second, for allowing Wynn’s lawyers to introduce comments made during a previous hearing for a restraining order Francis was seeking against Wynn, which Francis believes should have been considered privileged communications.
So Francis’ attempt to weasel out of a $2m gambling debt means he now owes Wynn and Wynn Resorts around $30m, and that’s before any punitive damages are added to the pile, plus interest, as well as Francis’ own legal fees, which would be considerable. Francis may keep doubling down on this bet, but honestly, he’s just increasing the size of his eventual reckoning. Far better to do what Quincy Jones suggested on the stand last week: “If you lose the money, pay the money.”