Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jun 23, 2025

New norm - money cannot always bribe justice: Judge rejects $18.9m Weinstein settlement

New norm - money cannot always bribe justice: Judge rejects $18.9m Weinstein settlement

A US judge rejected a proposed $18.9m (£15.3m) settlement of misconduct cases against abusive Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein on Tuesday. Dozens of women would have shared the payout but other accusers had objected to its terms.

A US judge rejected a proposed $18.9m (£15.3m) settlement of misconduct cases against abusive Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein on Tuesday.

The fund would have been distributed between dozens of female claimants.

However various other accusers had called it unfair, saying it "absolved" Weinstein, his producer brother and the company board of liability.

Weinstein was given a 23-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault in March.

The settlement would have marked an end to nearly all of the civil claims against him, The Weinstein Company and several of its directors.

District Judge Alvin Hellerstein dismissed it for putting women who had merely met Weinstein on an almost equal footing with women who he had raped or sexually abused.

It also would have typically awarded $10-15,000 to each claimant, whereas $15m would have gone towards Weinstein's defence costs.

In a 20-minute phone hearing, Judge Hellerstein said: "The idea that Harvey Weinstein can get a defence fund ahead of the claimants is obnoxious."

On Wednesday, lawyers for six of Weinstein's accusers filed an objection to the proposed payout, calling it a "cruel hoax".

They complained that Weinstein would not have to accept responsibility for his actions and would not make the payments personally.


What was in the settlement?

The settlement, announced on 30 June, would have resolved a lawsuit filed in 2018 against Weinstein, his production company and his brother by the New York Attorney General's office.

It would have also settled a separate class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of women who accused Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault.

"After all the harassment, threats and discrimination, these survivors are finally receiving some semblance of justice," Attorney General Letitia James said at the time.

"Women who were forced to sign confidentiality agreements will also be freed from those clauses and finally be able to speak."

The settlement needed approval from both a federal judge and bankruptcy court.


What was the response from accusers?

Ahead of the hearing, lawyers Douglas H Wigdor and Kevin Mintzer, who represent six accusers, said: "While we do not begrudge any survivor who truly wants to participate in this deal, as we understand the proposed agreement, it is deeply unfair for many reasons."

However, another of Weinstein's accusers, Louisette Geiss, said: "This important act of solidarity allowed us to use our collective voice to help those who had been silenced and to give back to the many, many survivors who lost their careers and more."

In February, Weinstein was convicted in New York City of committing third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act, and later sentenced to 23 years in jail.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×