Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Dolan, Weinstein accuser plans appeal after judge dismisses sex abuse lawsuit
By
Samantha Max
Published Sep 20, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Andrew Toth/Getty Images
By
Samantha Max
Published Sep 20, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A massage therapist who accused Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan and former movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse in a recent federal lawsuit plans to appeal a judge’s decision this week dismissing her case.
Attorneys Kevin Mintzer and Meredith Firetog, who are representing plaintiff Kellye Croft, said in a statement they believe a judge incorrectly interpreted federal sex trafficking law in dismissing Croft's claim and were confident they would prevail on appeal.
“Our fight for Ms. Croft is just beginning,” the attorneys said.
Croft in January sued Dolan and Weinstein, who were friends, alleging that Dolan coerced her to have sex with him on multiple occasions while she was working as a masseuse on tour with his rock band in 2013 and 2014. Croft alleged that Dolan facilitated a meeting between her and Weinstein at a Los Angeles hotel, during which she said Weinstein pinned her to a bed, forced his fingers inside her and tried to rape her. She also alleged the music management company that arranged her trip to California disregarded Dolan’s desire to bring her along for sex.
Croft's lawsuit accused Dolan of sex trafficking, sexual battery, and aiding and abetting sexual assault. It also accused Weinstein of sexual assault and attempted rape.
U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson threw out the case this week, finding that Croft had failed to provide enough evidence to meet the federal requirements for sex trafficking.
The decision comes during a week of momentous developments in sexual assault cases against celebrity New Yorkers. On Monday, police arrested music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs at a Manhattan hotel after he was indicted on federal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Combs pleaded not guilty and is being detained without bail.
And on Wednesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced a new first-degree criminal sexual act indictment against Weinstein related to a 2006 allegation. Weinstein also pleaded not guilty.
In Croft’s civil case, she alleged that Dolan took advantage of her when she was a 27-year-old massage therapist trying to launch her career and he was a 58-year-old powerful businessman. The lawsuit stated that she was lonely at the time and had never left her home in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, for more than a few a nights before the tour.
“Dolan was extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him,” the lawsuit alleged. “She felt disgusted and terrified of the situation, but the extreme isolation she felt from others on the tour, coupled with Dolan’s attention to her, his assertions that he would take care of her, and her recognition that this man held immense power over everyone’s position on the tour — including hers — led her to submit to Dolan’s advances.”
Anderson ruled that Croft had not shown she had received anything of value in exchange for sex. Her suit cited a round-trip plane ticket, a multi-night stay at a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and thousands of dollars in additional payments she received.
But Anderson said Croft had not clearly demonstrated that she was compensated specifically for sexual favors, and ruled that she could not pursue the sex trafficking claim any further. The judge ruled Croft could try again with her other allegations against Dolan and Weinstein. Croft’s attorneys said they will appeal the decision.
A spokesperson for Dolan said his team was “very pleased with the dismissal of the lawsuit, which was a malicious attempt to assert horrific allegations by an attorney who subverts the legal system for personal gain.” The spokesperson noted Croft is being represented by the same law firm that represented former NBA player Charles Oakley in a civil case against Madison Square Garden.
Weinstein’s attorney, Imran Ansari, said his client was also “pleased” with the court’s decision.
“Regardless of which court these claims are brought in, he will continue to vehemently deny the allegations made against him,” Ansari said in a statement.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
james dolan
harvey weinstein
Samantha Max
Samantha reports on whether New Yorkers feel safe and whether the institutions that are supposed to protect them are working. Before coming to WNYC/Gothamist, she spent three years covering the criminal justice system in Tennessee for Nashville Public Radio. Her reporting on Nashville's police department received multiple awards, including the Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize. Samantha was also part of the inaugural class of Report for America, a service journalism program that sends up-and-coming reporters to local newsrooms across the country. She is a Northwestern University grad, a Baltimore native and fluent in Spanish. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal: samanthamaxwnyc.93.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot and killed on Midtown subway platform Saturday afternoon, NYPD says
Police said they're searching for a person of interest.
By
Ryan Kost
and
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 17, 2026
Modified Oct 17, 2026
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
Being reigning champions is weird for Knicks fans, but we could get used to this.
By
Catalina Gonella
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
By
Willow Higgins
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .