Has justice finally come knocking on Harvey Weinstein’s door?
A group of the disgraced movie producer’s accusers have joined together to file a class action lawsuit alleging Weinstein, Miramax, and the company’s board members engaged in organized criminal behavior to cover-up the film executive’s sexual misdeeds.
The six women filed their suit in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, CNN reports. They claimed to represent the “hundreds of other women in the entertainment industry who suffered false imprisonment, rape and other instances of harassment.”
A joint statement read:
“Harvey Weinstein is a predator. Bob (Weinstein) knew it. The board knew it. The lawyers knew it. The private investigators knew it. Hollywood knew it. We knew it. Now the world knows it.”
The women accused the defendants of having “colluded together to perpetuate and conceal Weinstein’s widespread sexual harassment and assaults.” Some of the fourteen counts are civil battery, witness tampering, negligent supervision and retention, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The plaintiffs are Louisette Geiss, Katherine Kendall, Zoe Brock, Sarah Ann Masse, Melissa Sagemiller and Nannette Klatt.
Along with Harvey Weinstein and his brother, Robert, the suit targets former Miramax board members Dirk Ziff, Tim Sarnoff, Marc Lasry, Tarak Ben Ammar, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg, Jeff Sackman, James Dolan and Paul Tudor Jones.
The six women claimed the defendants are guilty of “racketeering” to keep Weinstein’s allegedly predatory behavior a secret. The producer has repeatedly denied that he participated in “non-consensual” sex or “acts of retaliation.”
The plaintiffs called on the defendants to admit guilt:
“We hope Mr. Weinstein’s legal and PR teams decide to change their tactics and submit a full mea culpa and admission of the wrongs perpetrated by both him and his enablers. We hope the board—particularly Robert Weinstein—feels the full weight of the secrets they kept. It is our fervent hope that these men will choose to go down in history as redemptive characters, not as men who helped cover up rape culture.”
Miramax issued a statement claiming independence from Weinstein.
“Miramax has been completely independent of Harvey – since he and Bob Weinstein left The Walt Disney Company to found The Weinstein Company. Twelve years and two ownership changes later, Miramax is a very different company. We at Miramax are proud of that difference.”
A spokeswoman for defendant James Dolan, said “Mr. Dolan is confident that he acted appropriately in all matters relating to his time on the Weinstein board.”
The question is whether Weinstein’s former associates will support him or throw him under the bar. Considering his tarnished reputation, the latter is most likely.
Hollywood is a dark and evil place. And Harvey seemed to be the ringleader.
— Trey???? (@Trolling3d) December 7, 2017
This guy is a #realcreep man?
— Noah B Smith (@quinoahb) December 7, 2017
He’s a perfect Democrat
— Dr. David Huddleston (@DHuddlestonKY) December 7, 2017
Tip of the iceberg!
— jp (@skirtthejib) December 6, 2017
— TOM H (@IrredeemableTOM) December 7, 2017
Huge Hillary Clinton supporter. They protected him knowing who/what he was. Of course Bill Clinton is also a sexual predator.
— Mike Boylson (@mike_boylson) December 7, 2017
the rise and fall of pigs
— blueeyes (@findmenapping) December 7, 2017
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