Harvey Weinstein has reached a $44 million settlement to resolve lawsuits and compensate his alleged victims of sexual misconduct, it has been reported.
More than 15 lawsuits have been filed against Weinstein, 67, accusing him or his company Weinstein & Co of misconduct. The settlement would cover many of them.
However, it does not exempt the 67-year-old from the criminal charges of rape and performing a forcible sex act, for which he will go on trial in September. He denies all allegations of non-consensual sex.
The $44 million deal has been reached with his accusers, his former film studio’s board members and the New York attorney general’s office, the Wall Street Journal reports, as per The Guardian.
Adam Harris, a lawyer for studio co-founder Bob Weinstein, told a bankruptcy court judge in New York on Thursday that ‘an economic agreement in principle’ had been reached.
His former film studio’s board members and executives are part of the deal because they were accused of failing to protect employees from a hostile work environment and Weinstein’s conduct over the years, Sky News reports.
More than 70 women have accused Weinstein, a former film producer, of sexual misconduct dating back decades. As the accusations against Weinstein grew, so did the #MeToo movement, whereby dozens of prominent figures in Hollywood and around the world faced similar allegations.
As per the Hollywood Reporter, negotiations between Weinstein’s legal team and the lawyers representing the former film producer’s accusers have reportedly been going on for over a year.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence contact the Rape CrisisEngland and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 (12-2:30 and 7-9:30).
Alternatively you can contact Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111. Male Survivors Partnership is available to support adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. You can contact the organisation on its website or on its helpline – 0808 800 5005.
A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).