It’s payback time for a former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) executive after a Macau court upheld his claim that Wynn Macau violated the law by disclosing his personal information.
On Wednesday, the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) Court of First Appeal ruled that Wynn Macau violated the law when it shared the personal data of former PAGCOR official Rogelio Yusi Bangsil Jr. with a U.S. law firm investigating the alleged misconduct of Japanese gaming mogul Kazuo Okada.
Prosecution lawyer José Leitão told Macau News Agency (MNA) that “the court confirmed that the act [of Wynn Macau] was committed in violation of the Macau Personal Data Protection Act.”
The confirmation was made a day after Wynn Resorts informed a Nevada court that it would no longer pursue claims of breach of fiduciary responsibility and other offenses against Okada.
Records show that Bangsil lodged a court complaint against Wynn Macau last year after his name was dragged into the Wynn Resorts-backed probe into the alleged “improper relationship” between Okada and executives, officials and consultants of the Philippine regulator.
A report compiled by former FBI director Louis Freeh at Wynn Resorts’ request claimed that Okada bribed Philippine regulators to obtain a license for his $2-billion Okada Manila casino project.
The ousted Universal Entertainment Corp. founder allegedly treated PAGCOR execs and their family members to MOP880,000 ($110,000) worth of hotel stays and other perks at Wynn Macau, a claim that Okada denied.
Bangsil was one of the 17 people who benefitted from Okada’s special favors.
Wynn claimed that the payments uncovered by Freeh were proof that Okada was “unsuitable” to serve as a director of the Las Vegas-based company.
In his petition, Bangsil denied the allegations made in the Wynn report and lamented that the issue cut his career short and caused tremendous suffering to his family. He also demanded Wynn Macau issue an apology and—of course—a check for an undisclosed financial damages.
Leitao said that the court has yet to schedule the announcement of its final decision on Bangsil’s case.
