Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein and his former studio’s board members have reached a tentative deal with women who accuse him of sexual misconduct, US media report.<\/p>\n
Lawyers said the settlement to resolve civil lawsuits and compensate alleged victims was worth about $44m (\u00a334.7m).<\/p>\n
Mr Weinstein denies sexually harassing or abusing over 75 women.<\/p>\n
He will stand trial in New York in June on criminal charges brought by two women, including rape.<\/p>\n
Adam Harris, a lawyer for the studio co-founder Bob Weinstein told a judge that “an economic agreement in principle” had been reached, the Associated Press news agency reports.<\/p>\n
He added: “I personally am very optimistic.”<\/p>\n
Mr Weinstein’s team later told the Wall Street Journal that\u00a0the size of the settlement would be approximately $44m.<\/a><\/p>\n The 67-year-old is one of Hollywood’s most famous producers and has worked on a number of award-winning films, including Shakespeare in Love, The King’s Speech and The Artist.<\/p>\n In total, the films he worked on have generated over 81 Oscars since 1999 and founded the Miramax entertainment company in the 1970s, which initially focused on art-house films.<\/p>\n In 2005, he split from Miramax and founded Weinstein Co, alongside his brother Bob.<\/p>\n In 2017, Quartz reported that Mr Weinstein had become so powerful in Hollywood that\u00a0he had been thanked as many times as God in Oscar acceptance speeches.<\/a><\/p>\n In October 2017, the New York Times published a story\u00a0detailing decades of allegations<\/a>\u00a0of sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein.<\/p>\n Actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd were among the first women to come forward.<\/p>\n The accusations include forcing women to massage him and watch him naked. He also allegedly promised to help some women advance their careers in return for sexual favours.<\/p>\n The film producer\u00a0issued an apology<\/a>\u00a0acknowledging he had “caused a lot of pain” – but denied allegations that he harassed female employees over nearly three decades.<\/p>\n The outcry against Mr Weinstein led to the #MeToo movement, which has seen hundreds of women accusing high-profile men in business, government and entertainment of sexual abuse and harassment.<\/p>\n As the accusations mounted, his company Weinstein Co dismissed him and filed for bankruptcy.<\/p>\n Mr Weinstein is due to go on trial in New York on 3 June on five charges of sexually assaulting two women. If found guilty, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Who is Harvey Weinstein?<\/h2>\n
How did the scandal unfold?<\/h2>\n