Two former wives of ex-Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein were successful in their attempt to have $6 million in assets formerly controlled by their ex-husband frozen. Lawyers for Weinstein say that not having access to the funds is making things difficult for their client to mount a competent defense against a pending court case in California.
The legal action taken by the ex-wives is just one in a series of legal actions mounted against the once-powerful Hollywood giant. Weinstein experienced 2019 convictions for both sexual assault and rape in New York. He also recently agreed to an $18 million settlement in a workplace discrimination lawsuit asserting that Weinstein maintained an ongoing environment of sexual harassment to the detriment of female employees at his production company.
Weinstein and The Weinstein Company are also the targets of several civil lawsuits and financial proceedings. Attorneys for Weinstein say that a portion of the money frozen by the courts was to be used to appeal the conviction their client received in New York. Weinstein is currently housed at Alden’s Wende Correctional Facility in New York while he awaits extradition to California to face pending charges.
One source close to Weinstein characterized the actions as a negotiation tactic in ongoing custody battles that involve five children produced by the two marriages. The source predicts that the women will have the order lifted as part of an agreement that will allow all parties involved to move forward with their lives.
Employees who experience sexual harassment in the workplace often feel both isolated and intimidated. This workplace victimization can chip away at the self-confidence of an individual while causing a significant decrease in their ability to perform job duties. Individuals forced to endure inappropriate comments or unwanted advances in the workplace may benefit from speaking to an attorney.
