Jordan Matthews (attorney)

Last updated

Jordan Matthews (born 1984) is an American lawyer known for handling several cases against Wynn Las Vegas and Steve Wynn.

Contents

Early life and education

Matthews was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended Community Day School with Bari Weiss. He was discovered by Stella Adler's grandson, Tom Oppenheim. [1]

Steve Wynn lawsuits

In 2018, Matthews filed suit against Wynn Las Vegas and Steve Wynn on behalf of Angelica Limcaco, a former salon manager at Wynn Las Vegas. Limcaco claimed that she was fired, blacklisted and intimidated into silence after she elevated her concerns about sexual assault in 2006 to then-president of Wynn Las Vegas, Andrew Pascal. The federal case followed a report by the Wall Street Journal in January 2018 that uncovered allegations of sexual misconduct against Steve Wynn. The allegations revealed that Steve Wynn entered into a confidential $7.5 million settlement with a manicurist in 2005, who reported that she had been raped and impregnated by Steve Wynn. Limcaco was the salon manager who reported the rape allegation to human resources, but was threatened to remain silent about the incident. [2]

Limcaco's case was appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after Judge Miranda Du ruled in favor of Wynn Las Vegas holding that the claim was not made within the statute of limitations. Matthews argued that the time limits should not apply because Limcaco feared for her personal safety. Matthews filed a petition with the Ninth Circuit in March 2020 questioning the Nevada District Court's selection of Elayna Youchah, an attorney for Wynn Resorts, as a magistrate judge. [3]

Limcaco filed a civil RICO claim against Steve Wynn, Matthew Maddox, Barbara Buckley and others in California in 2020 related to Wynn's casino licenses with Encore Boston Harbor and a probe by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. [4] The RICO case made allegations of bribery and alleged incidents tied to the Sicilian Mafia in Boston. [5] The case was appealed to the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals. [6] The RICO case alleges a pattern of influence and is tied to former Wynn Resorts executive, Gamal Aziz, being found guilty of honest services fraud in the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. The indictment of Elliott Broidy for his involvement in the 1MDB scandal is also tied to the case. [7] In April 2020, the Ninth Circuit denied a motion by Wynn attempting to dismiss the appeal. [8]

In May 2022, the United States Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against Steve Wynn for allegedly violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Wynn was accused of attempting to improperly influence Donald Trump to extradite Chinese dissident Guo Wengui. Wynn is accused of taking these steps on behalf of the Chinese government to protect his business interests in China. [9] Matthews filed a new brief in the Ninth Circuit RICO case that cited the Department of Justice's lawsuit and alleged that Wynn engaged in a "pattern of improper influence to protect business interests in the gaming industry." [10] .

In July 2022, Sun Lijun, China's ex-public security minister (who was the alleged point-of-contact for Steve Wynn in the alleged effort to influence the Trump Administration) pled guilty to accepting about $96.3 million in bribes related to selling government positions. [11]

In December 2022, Matthews argued before a panel of judges, including Ryan D. Nelson in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, clashing with Wynn Resorts' attorneys over claims of improper influence. [12]

In April 2023, Matthews sought review by the Supreme Court of the United States. [13]

In July 2023, Steve Wynn agreed to pay a $10 million fine to the Nevada Gaming Control Board in connection with claims arising out of Limcaco's complaint. [14]

Bell-Carter lawsuit

In March 2020, Matthews filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Bell-Carter Foods and DCOOP Group of Spain, the world's largest cooperative of olive growers, related to the Trump administration's trade tariffs against Spanish imports. [15]

Deja Riley lawsuit

In April, 2021, Matthews filed suit against Teddy Riley's daughter, Deja Riley, a fitness celebrity. [16]

Nichelle Nichols lawsuit

Matthews is listed in court records as Kyle Johnson's attorney in a long-running dispute with Nichelle Nichols' former manager, Gilbert Bell. Nichols was an American actress, singer and dancer whose portrayal of Uhura in Star Trek and its film sequels was groundbreaking for African American actresses on American television. Johnson is Nichols' son and is listed in court documents as the conservator of her estate. [17]

Johnson filed for conservatorship in 2018. Before a court granted his petition in January 2019, Nichols' friend Angelique Fawcette, who had already expressed concern in 2017 over Bell's control of access to her, pressed for visitation rights. A 2019 court case by Bell over being evicted from the guesthouse on Nichols' property includes allegations that Bell misused Nichols' assets. [18]

Bell filed for bankruptcy in October, 2023. [19]

Awards

In 2023, Matthews was named by the Los Angeles Times as a legal visionary. [20]

Film

Matthews was previously an actor and starred in the movie Fading of the Cries with Brad Dourif and Thomas Ian Nicholas. [21] The movie also starred Mackenzie Rosman from 7th Heaven. [22] The film was released by Lionsgate and was panned by critics. [23] [24]

In 2009, The Hollywood Reporter announced that he was set to star opposite Elaine Hendrix in Brian A. Metcalf's movie "Eve". [25] [26]

In 2012, Matthews was linked to a film fund backing a mini-series from Walter Isaacson's book "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life." [27] [28] Alec Baldwin was set to star and the series never got made, but was revealed in soap star Katherine Kelly Lang's divorce. [29]

Matthews' companies were linked to film financing deals with several movie studios, including Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media. [30]

Author

Matthews is the author of the book "Failure: When You Have Nothing You Have Everything." [31]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector</span> Highway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US

The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector is a connector freeway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is a 2.37-mile (3.81 km) extension of the Atlantic City Expressway, connecting it to New Jersey Route 87, which leads into Brigantine via the Marina district of Atlantic City. Locally, the freeway is known as "the Tunnel", due to the tunnel along its route that passes underneath the Westside neighborhood. The connector is a state highway owned and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA); it has an unsigned designation of Route 446X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treasure Island Hotel and Casino</span> Casino hotel in Paradise, Nevada

Treasure Island Hotel and Casino is a pirate-themed hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, U.S. It includes 2,885 rooms and a 47,927 sq ft (4,452.6 m2) casino. The resort is owned and operated by businessman Phil Ruffin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Wynn</span> American real estate magnate and art collector

Stephen Alan Wynn is an American real estate developer and art collector. He was known for his involvement in the luxury casino and hotel industry, prior to being forced to step down. Early in his career he oversaw the construction and operation of several notable Las Vegas and Atlantic City hotels, including the Golden Nugget, the Golden Nugget Atlantic City, The Mirage, Treasure Island, the Bellagio, and Beau Rivage in Mississippi, and he played a pivotal role in the resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip in the 1990s. In 2000, Wynn sold his company, Mirage Resorts, to MGM Grand Inc., resulting in the formation of MGM Mirage. Wynn later took his company Wynn Resorts public in an initial public offering and was Wynn Resorts' CEO and Chairman of the Board until February 6, 2018, when he announced his resignation. He is a prominent donor to the Republican Party, and was the finance chair of the Republican National Committee from January 2017 to January 2018, when he resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wynn Las Vegas</span> Hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada

Wynn Las Vegas, often simply referred to as Wynn, is a luxury resort and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned and operated by Wynn Resorts, and was built on the former site of the Desert Inn resort, which opened in 1950. Casino developer Steve Wynn purchased and closed the Desert Inn during 2000, with plans to build a new resort on the site. The design phase lasted two and a half years, and construction began on October 31, 2002, with Marnell Corrao Associates as general contractor. At a cost of $2.7 billion, Wynn Las Vegas was the most expensive resort ever built, beating Wynn's $1.6 billion Bellagio, which opened on the Strip in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mirage</span> Casino resort in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Mirage is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. The 65-acre property includes a 90,548 sq ft (8,412.2 m2) casino and 3,044 rooms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Frontier Hotel and Casino</span> Former hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada

The New Frontier was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The property began as a casino and dance club known as Pair O' Dice, opened in 1931. It was sold in 1941, and incorporated into the Hotel Last Frontier, which began construction at the end of the year. The Hotel Last Frontier opened on October 30, 1942, as the second resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The western-themed property included 105 rooms, as well as the Little Church of the West. The resort was devised by R.E. Griffith and designed by his nephew, William J. Moore. Following Griffith's death in 1943, Moore took over ownership and added a western village in 1948. The village consisted of authentic Old West buildings from a collector, and would also feature the newly built Silver Slipper casino, added in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wynn Resorts</span> American casino company

Wynn Resorts, Limited is an American publicly traded corporation based in Paradise, Nevada, that is a developer and operator of high-end hotels and casinos. It was founded in 2002 by former Mirage Resorts Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn, and is now run by CEO Craig Billings. As of 2020, the company has developed six properties.

Westgate Resorts is an American timeshare resort company founded by David A. Siegel in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bump stock</span> Gun stocks that can be used to assist in bump firing

Bump stocks or bump fire stocks are gun stocks that can be used to assist in bump firing. Bump firing is the act of using the recoil of a semi-automatic firearm to fire ammunition cartridges in rapid succession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Encore Las Vegas</span> Casino hotel in Nevada, United States

Encore Las Vegas is a luxury resort, casino and hotel located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The resort is connected to its sister resort, Wynn Las Vegas, located directly south. Both are owned by Wynn Resorts and located on the former site of the Desert Inn resort, which Steve Wynn purchased and closed in 2000. Encore took the place of two Desert Inn hotel structures, the Palms and St. Andrews towers, both demolished in 2004. Construction of Encore began on April 28, 2006, the first anniversary of Wynn Las Vegas' opening. The Encore project, built by Tutor Saliba, cost $2.3 billion. It opened on December 22, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Randazza</span> American First Amendment attorney

Marc J. Randazza is an American First Amendment attorney and a legal commentator on InfoWars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fabrizio Boccardi</span> Italian businessman

Fabrizio Boccardi is an Italian American entrepreneur and investor known for investments and ventures in hospitality, real estate, media, and technology. Boccardi created a fictional character "The Tyrant", a Las Vegas Casino owner, who has been the subject of two books and rumored deals for comics and movie franchises. Boccardi has attempted to buy control of a Las Vegas casino and has announced intentions to create a casino and gaming franchise based on the fictional character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua A. Newville</span> American lawyer

Joshua A. Newville, known as simply Josh Newville, is an American attorney, mediator, adjunct law professor, and investigative podcaster. He owns Newville PLC, a Minneapolis, MN-based law firm that focuses on employment law, civil rights and mediation.

Kazuo Okada is a Japanese billionaire businessman, and art collector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal and business legal affairs of Donald Trump</span>

From the 1970s until he was elected president in 2016, Donald John Trump Sr. and his businesses were involved in over 4,000 legal cases in U.S. federal and state courts, including battles with casino patrons, million-dollar real estate lawsuits, personal defamation lawsuits, and over 100 business tax disputes. He has also been accused of sexual harassment and sexual assault, with one accusation resulting in Trump being held civilly liable.

<i>Juliana v. United States</i> 2015 lawsuit

Juliana, et al. v. United States of America, et al. is a climate-related lawsuit filed in 2015 by 21 youth plaintiffs against the United States and several executive branch officials. Filing their case in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, the plaintiffs, represented by the non-profit organization Our Children's Trust, include Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, the members of Martinez's organization Earth Guardians, and climatologist James Hansen as a "guardian for future generations". Some fossil fuel and industry groups initially intervened as defendants but later requested to be dropped following the 2016 presidential election, stating that the case would be well defended under the new administration.

Marilyn Spiegel is the President of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, a casino-hotel resort complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, overseeing day-to-day operations and all revenue centers at the resort. Spiegel previously held this position from 2010 – 2013.

Gamal Aziz, also known as Gamal Abdelaziz, is an Egyptian-American businessman. Aziz is the former president of Wynn Macau Limited and chief operating officer of Wynn Resorts Development. He was also the former CEO of MGM Resorts International.

The Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign launched numerous lawsuits contesting the election processes of Nevada. Many of the processes contested were created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of these were either dismissed or dropped.

References

  1. "Jordan Matthews - IMDb".
  2. Berzon, Alexandra (2018-01-27). "Dozens of People Recount Pattern of Sexual Misconduct by Las Vegas Mogul Steve Wynn". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  3. Brewer, Contessa (2020-03-11). "Wynn whistleblower argues she can't get a fair shake in court". CNBC. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  4. Lochhead, Colton (2021-11-09). "California judge tosses lawsuit against Steve Wynn, executives". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  5. Cruz, Adrian (2020-12-17). "Corrected:Steve Wynn Dodged Rape Suit With Bribery, Ex-Worker Says". law360. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  6. Gibbs, Erik (2021-11-10). "Steve Wynn and Wynn Resorts Saved once Again By Court Judge". Gambling News. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  7. "Weinberg Gonser Frost Files "Extensive" Appeal in Limcaco v. Wynn Civil RICO Ruling With 9th Circuit, Citing Investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice". Yahoo! Finance. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  8. Conneller, Philip (2022-04-25). "Federal Appeals Court Won't Toss RICO Case Vs. Steve Wynn, Wynn Resorts". casino.org. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  9. Chokshi, Niraj (2022-05-17). "U.S. Accuses Steve Wynn of Lobbying Trump on Behalf of China". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  10. Helling, Derek (2022-05-26). "DOJ Filing Against Steve Wynn Creates Wrinkle In RICO Claims As Lawyers Settle Defamation Lawsuit". PlayUSA. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  11. Thompsett, Louis (2022-07-21). "Exclusive - Jordan Matthews: Steve Wynn allegedly used "improper influence" from China to lobby Donald Trump". Gambling Insider. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
  12. Rybaltowski, Matt (2022-12-07). "Attorneys Clash On 'Improper Influence Claims In Appeal Of RICO Charges Against Steve Wynn". US Bets. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  13. Hanson, Joyce (2023-04-13). "Ex-Wynn Resorts Worker Seeks High Court Look At RICO Row". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  14. Stutz, Howard (2023-07-19). "Steve Wynn to pay a $10 million fine to settle a 4-year-old complaint with Nevada gaming regulators". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  15. Yeager, Joshua (2019-03-18). "'Tariff loophole' blamed in $40 million loss to olive farmers in Tulare County". Visalia Times Delta. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  16. "Simmons Unlimited, LLC v. Riley Izydorczyk et al".
  17. "Gilbert Bell v. Kyle Johnson".
  18. Easter, Makeda (August 15, 2021). "Inside the heartbreaking conservatorship battle of a 'Star Trek' legend". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  19. "Legal Battle Between Nichelle Nichols' Son, Ex-Manager Put on Hold". My News LA.com. October 17, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  20. "Jordan Matthews biography". Los Angeles Times.
  21. Zeitchik, Steven (2008-07-14). "Brian Metcalf to helm 'Cries'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  22. Catsoulis, Jeannette (2011-07-02). "Horror, Romance and Wizards". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  23. Schenker, Andrew (2011-07-06). "The Undead Seek Revenge, Generally, in Fading of the Cries". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  24. Robert Abele (July 6, 2011). "Movie review: 'Fading of the Cries'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  25. "Ratio Pictures tracking down 'Eve'". The Hollywood Reporter. 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2020-01-29.
  26. Parker, Cat (2009-03-30). "Ratio Picture Tracking Down Eve". movieweb.com. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  27. "Group Community Entertainment Raises $45M For Film/TV Projects". Deadline Hollywood. 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  28. "Jordan Matthews - IMDb - Publicity".
  29. "Ben Franklin Movie Plans REVEALED IN SOAP STAR'S DIVORCE". TMZ. 2014-06-14. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  30. Robehmed, Natalie (2015-04-07). "Billionaire Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media Raises $250 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  31. "Jordan Matthews Failure: When You Have Nothing You Have Everything". Apple. 2022-04-22. Retrieved 2022-04-26.