Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has reportedly reached a $25 million settlement as part of a complicated court case being conducted in New York involving his studio and over 30 female accusers.
Weinstein is one of over 260 members of the elite – in entertainment, the media, politics, and more – who have been accused of sexual misconduct and assault by hundreds of women since 2017, when the first Weinstein accusers helped open the floodgates for the #MeToo movement.
However, despite the firestorm of outrage, for many justice has been long in coming, and indeed may be still far away. For example, the $25 million settlement does not require Weinstein to actually admit any wrongdoing, and will not even be paid by him, but by insurance companies representing his bankrupt studio, The Weinstein Company.
In fact, around $12 million will actually go to Weinstein for the purpose of offsetting his legal fees. The rest will be shared by over 30 women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Weinstein’s health has deteriorated significantly, largely as a result of a car crash in August for which he continues to require surgeries to manage pain. The alleged rapist cut a derelict figure limping out of court proceedings on a walker, and together with his legal team has already attempted to use his condition to gin up sympathy from the public and the judicial system.
However, this plea for sympathy contrasts badly with the fact that Weinstein has had his bail raised from $1 million to $5 million after numerous continual violations of his ankle monitor.
Even if this case proceeds favorably, the Hollywood predator’s troubles are unlikely to be over. Independent of proceedings in New York, it was reported recently that the LA County DA’s office is now reviewing eight cases against him received from the LAPD and Beverly Hills PD.
The cases under consideration in California also relate to accusations from women of sexual misconduct. Two of these were submitted recently, while the others have been in review for close to two years.
While Weinstein begs for sympathy from the press and finagles his way out of admitting guilt or making monetary restitution, his accusers continue to be denied justice. One of them, British actress Lysette Anthony, recently revealed that she continues to be tormented by nightmares of the multiple times she alleges that Weinstein violently raped her.
Unfortunately, the cases of individuals such as Jeffrey Epstein or Jussie Smollet demonstrate that the ruling class live by a different set of rules and are rarely held accountable for their crimes, no matter how evil. Perhaps one day the double standard will become too intolerable for people to bear.