James Dolan and Harvey Weinstein Accused of Sexual Assault in Lawsuit

A new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday accuses James Dolan, CEO of Madison Square Garden Entertainment and owner of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, of sexual assault and trafficking. The suit also names Harvey Weinstein as a co-accused in the sexual assault allegations.

The federal complaint, filed by massage therapist Kellye Croft, alleges that Dolan and Weinstein individually sexually assaulted her in 2013 and 2014 while she was working as a massage therapist for the band the Eagles. Croft claims that Dolan made an appointment with her in November 2013 and forced himself on her during their second appointment.

Representatives for both Dolan and Weinstein have issued statements denying the allegations.

Croft was hired by the Eagles in 2013 to travel with them during their "History of the Eagles – Live in Concert" tour. Dolan's own band was opening for the Eagles during this tour.

In the lawsuit, Croft alleges that Dolan was "extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him" during a massage session.

A lawsuit claims that during a tour, musician Dolan allegedly forced Ms. Croft, a licensed masseuse, into unwanted sexual encounters. The lawsuit alleges that Dolan treated Ms. Croft's resistance as a challenge and forcibly grabbed her hands, dragging her to a couch and forcing her hands between his knees. Despite the alleged incident, Dolan continued to make sexual advances towards Ms. Croft, who felt disgusted and terrified but submitted due to the isolation she felt on the tour and Dolan's power over everyone's position.

The complaint states that at the end of 2013, Ms. Croft joined the Eagles on their tour, unaware that Dolan and his band would still be the opening act. She believed she had been hired as a licensed masseuse for the Eagles, but the lawsuit claims that Dolan had unlawfully trafficked her for his own sexual gratification. The complaint further alleges that Dolan expected Ms. Croft to engage in sexual interactions with him during the tour, leaving her isolated or waiting for his instructions.

On January 21, after returning to the hotel where she was staying during her time in California, an individual claimed she was approached by a well-known filmmaker, who allegedly proposed hiring her to work on set for his film productions. The individual said she joined the filmmaker in his hotel suite to continue the discussion and was then subjected to a sexual assault, according to the complaint.

"The individual fought back the best she could, although she recalls that the filmmaker felt like a giant compared to her. She struggled to sit up, push him away," the complaint said. The alleged assault was interrupted by a phone call, after which the filmmaker allegedly made a statement suggesting that the individual had led him on.

In her statement, the individual said, "Another person manipulated me, brought me to California to abuse me, and then set me up for a vicious attack by the filmmaker." 

The legal representative of the other person involved told CBS News, "There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against my client. The references to the filmmaker are simply meant to inflame and appear to be plagiarized from prior cases against the filmmaker. These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against my client and has not, and cannot, win a judgement against him."

According to Perry, Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims. Perry also stated that this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up their position. They are looking forward to proving that in court.

In response, Weinstein's lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said that Mr. Weinstein vehemently denies the meritless allegations in the recently filed lawsuit. They are looking forward to litigating this case in a court of law where the truth will be revealed.

Croft, on the other hand, stated that she has "suffered so profoundly" because of the alleged incidents and it was not an easy decision for her to come forward and seek justice. She hopes that her lawsuit will force Dolan to acknowledge what he did to her and take responsibility for the harm he has caused.