US casino mogul’s award grows to $40 million against ‘Girls Gone Wild’ founder

LOS ANGELES, Sept 12: US casino owner Steve Wynn won 20 million dollars in punitive damages for defamation yesterday, doubling his total judgment in a lawsuit accusing “Girls Gone Wild” creator Joe Francis of slandering him by falsely claiming that Wynn had threatened his life over a gambling debt. A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury deliberated for about two hours before reaching its decision in the second phase of a defamation trial that capped a protracted, high-stakes legal feud between the two men. (agencies)