They authorize the lawsuit filed by 9 women against the Wynn hotels and casinos for sexual abuse

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LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nine women claiming to have been sexually harassed by former Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn will be able to pursue the lawsuit they filed against the casino mogul's former company, according to the opinion of a federal appeals court this Wednesday.

The women, manicurists and makeup artists at a salon at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel casino,

, but did not investigate and cover it up.

To safeguard their identity, the women were identified in the lawsuit with the pseudonyms Judy Doe No. 1, numbered up to Judy Doe No. 9.

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Steve Wynn, the former Las Vegas casino mogul, in a March 15, 2016 file photo.Charles Krupa / AP

A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday reversed part of a lower court ruling that had dismissed the case in July 2020, arguing there was insufficient justification for the plaintiffs to use pseudonyms.

Wynn has consistently denied allegations of sexual misconduct,

which

first reported in January 2018. His attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Wynn Resorts also did not respond to a request for comment.

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Sept.

29, 202001: 29

The appeals court agreed with the district court's reasons for dismissing the complaint, but ruled that the women could amend their complaint to add individual harassment complaints, so that the complaint could be re-considered in federal court.

"The Judy Does should be allowed to file their amended claim under fictitious names, and when this happens the district court should reevaluate the motion to proceed with fictitious names," the appeals court ruled.

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Kathleen England, the plaintiffs' attorney, said they planned to amend their claim in accordance with the guidance of the district court.

This is

Wynn Resorts is facing a securities fraud lawsuit for allegedly violating disclosure rules.

Steve Wynn has a defamation lawsuit pending against The Associated Press and an AP reporter for a story about what two women who alleged sexual misconduct by Wynn told Las Vegas Police.