(Wall Street Journal)
Corinne Ramey and Jonathan Randles May 23, 2019 7:51 p.m.
Harvey Weinstein, women who accused him of sexual misconduct, his former film studio’s board members and the New York attorney general’s office have reached a tentative $44 million deal to resolve lawsuits and compensate alleged victims of the Hollywood producer, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lawyers involved in the discussions told a bankruptcy-court judge Thursday that they had reached a deal but didn’t offer specific financial terms. “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,” said Adam Harris, a lawyer for studio co-founder Bob Weinstein, to Judge Mary Walrath of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del.
Mr. Harris said the agreement, which hasn’t been finalized, would provide significant compensation to Mr. Weinstein’s alleged victims as well as creditors that did business with Weinstein Co. before it filed for bankruptcy last year.
The $44 million proposal includes about $30 million allocated for plaintiffs, a broad category that includes alleged victims, former Weinstein Co. employees and studio creditors, and would cover the plaintiffs’ lawyers fees, according to the same people familiar with the matter. About $14 million would be used to pay legal fees of Mr. Weinstein’s associates, including his former board members who were named as defendants in lawsuits, the people said.
The money would come from insurance policies, including those held by his former studio, the people said.
The proposed agreement wouldn’t affect a criminal case pending against Mr. Weinstein in Manhattan, which charges him with rape and other sex crimes. He has pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations of non-consensual sex. His trial is scheduled to begin in September.
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