Harvey Weinstein, once one of Hollywood's most powerful producers, is pleading to move up his New York trial date out of fear he will die in Rikers Island, where he awaits proceedings on sex crime charges. The 72-year-old, who has cancer and diabetes, told Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Curtis Farber, "I'm gasping for air. I'm in a serious emergency situation. I'm begging the court to move the [trial date] so l can get out of this hellhole as quickly as possible."
Despite his requests to expedite his April 15 court date, Judge Farber responded that the schedule was "beyond set in stone."
Weinstein faces another major legal battle on a separate front: he has sued his brother Robert Weinstein and former associates over a $45 million loan from AI International Holdings (BVI) Limited. In the complaint filed in New York County Supreme Court, Weinstein claims the loan proceeds were "pilfered and misappropriated for their own uses and benefits, in blatant violation of the loan's intended purpose." He further alleges that funds were funneled away for personal gain, leaving him solely responsible for repayment.
Weinstein is already serving a 16-year prison sentence in California for rape and sexual assault convictions, but is now back in New York to face additional sex crime charges. His incarceration at Rikers Island has prompted growing health concerns. A prison expert told RadarOnline.com: "A federal or state prison is practically Club Med compared to Rikers, which is infamous for rough treatment of inmates awaiting trial or sentencing. Harvey is feeling sorry for himself, but he's only reaping what he sowed!"
According to court documents, Weinstein's lawsuit targets Robert Weinstein and others linked to The Weinstein Company, which filed for bankruptcy in 2018 after a series of sexual assault allegations surfaced. The filing names the company's former chief operating officer David Glasser and executive vice president of accounting and financial reporting Irwin Reiter as defendants, along with several John and Jane Does. Weinstein claims that, despite the loan being designated for "legitimate business purposes essential to" the firm's operations, "significant portions" were misused.
Legal records indicate that Robert Weinstein "withdrew or received at least $2.2 million in personal advances and loans from The Weinstein Company Holdings LLC, between August 2017 and February 2018," while the studio faced outstanding debt. Citing these payments, Weinstein's suit asserts, "These self-serving financial extractions were made while creditors, including AI International, remained unpaid, and the companies faced imminent collapse."
Weinstein also alleges Glasser "engaged in a systematic pattern of self-enrichment," including a $1 million payment to Glasser's father, and that Reiter failed to stop such "self-dealing and misappropriations." The lawsuit accuses the defendants of orchestrating a "deliberate scheme of self-dealing and mismanagement." Weinstein argues their alleged actions placed him in jeopardy of repaying the loan balance, now reduced to about $30 million, after AI International negotiated a settlement.
In a complaint describing the settlement as a "self-serving agreement," Weinstein asserts, "Defendants' fraudulent actions have caused Weinstein severe financial damages, as well as reputational harm resulting from their reckless and unlawful conduct." He is seeking punitive and compensatory damages, along with injunctive relief, and remains locked in separate litigation with AI International, which seeks repayment of the loan.
Weinstein also filed a $5 million claim notice against Rikers Island Correctional Facility, Bellevue Hospital, and New York City officials, alleging neglect of his health conditions. He complains of inadequate care for his cancer and diabetes, which he says are exacerbated by the "deplorable" conditions at Rikers. Still, his pleas for a speedier trial have gained little traction, leaving him confined to what he calls "this hellhole."
The former Miramax co-founder contends that Judge Farber's refusal to expedite the April trial date places his life in jeopardy. While the New York proceeding remains on track, Weinstein is appealing his California conviction, although observers see limited prospects of success. "I'm gasping for air," he reiterated in his courtroom plea, reflecting both his physical ailments and his broader fight to regain freedom.
Weinstein's ongoing legal woes paint a portrait of a man grappling with multiple fronts-from allegations of personal misconduct to accusations that his business partners left him to shoulder financial burdens alone. Whether his claims against his brother and colleagues can move forward swiftly remains uncertain, as he continues to press for more immediate relief from Rikers Island's notorious conditions.
- Key Figures:
- $45 million: Original loan from AI International.
- $2.2 million: Alleged personal advances received by Robert Weinstein.
- $1 million: Payment allegedly directed by David Glasser to his father.
- $5 million: Negligent care claim filed against Rikers Island and city officials.
