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| Maria Contreras-Sweet Photo: GES Photo |
A lawsuit alleging 'egregious' violation of civil rights, human rights and business law could mean trouble for the Weinstein Company. The suit concerns the sale of the studio to former California Secretary of Business, Transportation, and Housing Maria Contreras-Sweet, who wants to turn it into a female-led company and run a fund to help women allegedly abused by Harvey Weinstein.
If the sale, thought to be worth around $500M, is blocked, the Weinstein Company could face bankruptcy. It already faces other legal challenges, including a class action lawsuit alleging that it failed to prevent sexual harassment.
"The Weinstein Co. repeatedly broke New York law by failing to protect its employees from pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation, and discrimination," said the state attorney general in a statement. "Any sale of The Weinstein Co. must ensure that victims will be compensated, employees will be protected going forward, and that neither perpetrators nor enablers will be unjustly enriched. Every New Yorker has a right to a workplace free of sexual harassment, intimidation and fear."
Although Contreras-Sweet has pledged to take stringent anti-harassment measures should she purchase the company, she is believed to be hesitant about the prospect of ongoing government monitoring intended to ensure that this takes place.
