Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein used non-disclosure agreements and personal bank accounts to settle sexual harassment disputes, revealed a New Yorker report on November 21.
Weinstein, according to the report, used NDAs to silence his victims, and in the case of buyouts, used his brother Bob Weinstein’s bank account so that the money could not be traced back to Harvey or their company at the time, Miramax Films. Bob Weinstein amitted to having used his money for the buyout to New Yorker, but added that he did not know what it was being used for.
The report by Ronan Farrow, the third in his investigation into the Harvey Weinstein case, rests on the account of model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, who, after being assaulted by Weinstein, approached the New York city police. The police department got Gutierrez to record Weinstein admitting to having groped her on the wire. The District Attorney’s office, however, did not press charges.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez was being investigated by a private intelligent agent, K2, hired by Weinstein. Information about her sexual history was being fed to tabloids and as her image began to be slandered, she chose to sign the NDA presented by Weinstein’s lawyers.
Zelda Perkins, Weinstein’s former assistant, also had to sign an NDA 20 years ago. She, like Gutierrez, has flouted her NDA in the recent months. Perkins was also paid off with Bob Weinstein’s money, according to the settlement.
In October, investigations by the New York Times and New Yorker revealed that Weinstein had sexually assaulted and raped dozens of women for over three decades. Subsequently, 100 women both from and outside the film industry accused him Weinstein of being a serial sexual predator.
Following the revelations, Weinstein was fired from his company, The Weinstein Company, and removed from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The revelations led to similar allegations cropping up against several powerful men, including award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, comedian Louis CK and filmmakers Brett Ratner and James Toback.
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