Harvey Weinstein is at reportedly feeling the scales of justice — at least as far as his pocketbook is concerned.
According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, the disgraced film producer has reportedly reached a tentative $44 million civil lawsuit settlement agreement with “his sexual misconduct accusers, former business partners and other entities.”
Related: Ashley Judd’s Sexual Harassment Case Against Harvey Has Been Dismissed
The well known film producer and financier, and former head of the Weinstein Company, is reportedly ready to ante up a LOT of money to atone for allegations of past mistakes.
Attorney Adam Harris, who is representing the former board members of Weinstein’s production company, spoke to WSJ on Thursday afternoon after appearing in bankruptcy court to discuss the settlement with a judge presiding over the case.
Harris said (below):
“For the first time, as of yesterday, we now have an economic agreement in principle that is supported by the plaintiffs, the [New York attorney general’s] office, the defendants and all of the insurers.”
Wow!
Though the settlement is not yet finalized, it will reportedly look something like this: approximately $30 million will be paid to the plaintiffs in the civil suit (which include the reported victims of Weinstein’s alleged acts of sexual misconduct), as well as to Weinstein Company employees, and creditors who loaned the film studio money before it filed for bankruptcy. The other $14 million will go to pay the legal fees of Weinstein’s former business associates.
This doesn’t mean things are over for Weinstein — far from it, actually; we’ll discuss that more in a minute — but a civil settlement like this will at least stem some of the tide coming against the disgraced producer, who has been the target of considerable accusations of sexual misconduct and assault. If/when the deal is finalized, it’ll conclude what has already been months of mediation sessions between all parties involved. And although money isn’t everything, a nice payday for Weinstein’s alleged victims, as well as Weinstein Company employees left out on the street in the aftermath of it all, isn’t a bad thing.
Related: More New Accusers Step Forward Against Harvey
Of course, money doesn’t solve everything — and Weinstein himself still has some MAJOR problems ahead, namely several major criminal charges he has yet to face. As you’ll recall, the film producer was charged with rape, a criminal sex act, sex abuse, and sexual misconduct back in May 2018 in NYC over two alleged incidents involving two separate women in 2004 and 2013. He pleaded not guilty at the time, and currently remains free on bail, having denied all accusations of non-consensual sex.
His trial on those charges has been set for September, and as we’ve been reporting, he could face life in prison if convicted on all of the charges. Certainly, for many victims, that would be justice far better served than just a simple civil settlement.
Still, it’s never a bad thing to hit ’em where it hurts — right in the wallet — and Harvey will no doubt feel at least a little bit of a squeeze from this eight-figure deal when it’s made final. Good!!!
[Image via WENN]
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