The women who sued Harvey Weinstein for sexual misconduct settled for $19 million.
What We Know:
- Nine women, who sued convicted rapist Harvey Wienstein, reached a nearly $19 million settlement Tuesday in the lawsuit that alleged the movie mogle was a serial harasser and abuser. The suit also accused former officers and directors of the Weinstein Company of failing to prevent his misconduct.
- One plaintiff, Catlin Dulany said “We fought a long and grueling battle in the courtroom. Harvey avoided accountability for decades, and it was a powerful moment for us to band together and demand justice”.
- The terms of the settlement would allow victims to submit confidential claims describing their experiences and the impact of the misconduct. Payments for damages might range from $7,500 to $750,000. The settlement would also create a victims’ fund for women who say they were abused by Weinstein but it still needs approval in the U.S. District Court in New York City.
- Lawyers for six other women, who have also accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, called the settlement a “complete sellout,” saying in a statement that it doesn’t hold Weinstein or people who knew about allegations of misconduct accountable.
- An attorney for Weinstein, who still faces sex crimes charges in connection with three separate incidents alleged to have occurred in Los Angeles, said he was focused on defending himself in outstanding legal matters. “With closure in sight on one front, Mr. Weinstein remains intently focused in defending himself on all remaining legal matters, including the appeal of his criminal conviction, civil lawsuits, and the charges filed against him in L.A.,” the lawyer, Imran Ansari, said in a statement Tuesday night. “He continues to pursue all legal recourse available to him and remains steadfast in the defense of those matters.”
- The announcement came roughly three months after Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for raping Jessica Mann, a former aspiring actress, and one count of engaging in a criminal sexual act against Mimi Haley, a former Project Runway production assistant.
Weinstein is currently serving his sentence at a maximum-security prison in upstate New York.
