Accused repeat sex offender Harvey Weinstein has reached a deal with a group of his accusers, according to reports, but Weinstein will not have to admit any wrongdoing or pay the settlement out of his own pocket.
Weinstein’s attorneys announced the deal late Wednesday, noting that the disgraced film mogul and his bankrupt movie studio will pay $47 million, $25 million of which will divided among “dozens” of women who claim they were harassed, molested, and even sexually assaulted by Weinstein.
“Under terms of the proposed deal, which took less than two years to hammer out and would have to be approved by the judges in two cases involving him,” NBC News reports, “Weinstein wouldn’t be required to admit to wrongdoing or to pay his accusers directly, according to [accuser Caitlin] Dulaney and [a] third woman’s attorney.”
Instead, Weinstein’s insurance company, which covered his now-bankrupt movie studio will be forced to pay his accusers. Around $6 million of the settlement will go to 14 named accuers who have each sued Weinstein individually. A little over $18 million will be set aside in an escrow account to pay out victims who joined a class action lawsuit against Weinstein and his production company in New York. That fund will pay out on an ongoing basis, to all victims who come forward with claims supported by evidence, until the statute of limitations on Weinstein’s alleged crimes runs out. – READ MORE