Sexual Harassment Scandal Rocks Hollywood: Weinstein Company Covers for the Boss

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Mr. Weinstein was recorded by the NYPD trying to coax Ambra Battilana (above) into his hotel room.
Mr. Weinstein was recorded by the NYPD allegedly trying to coax Ambra Battilana (above) into his hotel room.

Things came to a head in 2015 when Mr. Weinstein was secretly recorded allegedly trying to lure an Italian model, Ambra Battilana, into his hotel room. Battilana was cooperating with the New York City Police Department at the time and was wearing a wire. Prosecutors in New York ultimately did not press charges. After this incident, Mr. Weinstein closed off his personal company file from the rest of the board. He then hired outside counsel, who reassured the board that Mr. Weinstein was not a liability.

Open Secrets with a Code of Silence

The NY Times identified eight separate settlements between victims and Mr. Weinstein since the 1990s. It appears the company board members were well aware of the settlements over the years, but they claimed not to know the true nature of them.

According to a NY Times anonymous source, Mr. Weinstein emailed the board and his brother shortly after news broke last week. Mr. Weinstein himself claimed that they all were aware of his settlements.