A lawsuit seeking to represent any woman with a claim against Harvey Weinstein can proceed on sex-trafficking grounds, a judge ruled yesterday, as he dramatically shrank the scope of an action trying to treat the disgraced movie producer and various companies like a mob organisation.
US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein eliminated 17 claims against the once powerful movie mogul who has been accused by women in several lawsuits of seeking to trade his influence in Hollywood for sexual favours. Weinstein also faces trial in state court on criminal sexual assault charges.
The judge also reduced the number of named plaintiffs from 10 to four and dismissed all other defendants. The women had alleged they were attacked from 1993 to 2011.
Weinstein has denied engaging in any nonconsensual sex.
The lawsuit first filed in late 2017 had sought to represent "dozens, if not hundreds" of women who say they were isolated and attacked by Weinstein. Unspecified damages were sought.
