NEW YORK--Harvey Weinstein and the board of his bankrupt film studio have reached a tentative $25 million settlement with dozens of women who accused the former Hollywood producer of sexual misconduct, The New York Times said on Wednesday, citing lawyers involved in the negotiations.
The accord would end nearly all civil lawsuits by actresses and former Weinstein employees who accused him of offenses ranging from sexual harassment to rape, the newspaper said.
Insurers for the former Weinstein Co studio would fund the payout, and Weinstein would not be required to admit wrongdoing or to pay anything, the newspaper said. Representatives for Weinstein declined to comment.
Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct dating back decades by more than 70 women. He has denied the allegations, saying any sexual encounters were consensual.
According to the Times, accusers involved in the tentative accord would make their claims in bankruptcy court, and the $25 million payout would be part of a $47 million settlement to close out the studio's obligations. The litigation is separate from criminal charges that Weinstein faces in New York, where prosecutors have accused him of sexually assaulting two women, one in 2006 and another in 2013. A trial is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2020, and Weinstein could face life in prison if convicted on the top counts.
Weinstein, 67, used a walker to enter the courthouse for a bail hearing on Wednesday, and is scheduled to have back surgery on Thursday.
