Who is billionaire James Dolan, and why is he being sued for sexual assault with Harvey Weinstein? A massage therapist just accused the NY Knicks owner and MSG Entertainment CEO of sex trafficking
A massage therapist has sued Madison Square Garden CEO James L. Dolan and disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, accusing them of sex trafficking and sexual assault.
The bombshell lawsuit filed on January 16 in the US District Court of Central California alleges that in 2013 and 2014, Dolan “manipulated” and brought Kellye Croft, then a 27-year-old working as a licensed massage therapist, to Los Angeles and other places “under fraudulent pretences for Dolan to engage in unlawful and unwelcome sex acts with her”.
The federal lawsuit also alleges that Weinstein sexually assaulted Croft with Dolan’s knowledge, and that the abuse was funded by Dolan’s corporate entities, including some connected to veteran music industry executive Irving Azoff, who is not a defendant in the case.
“With the filing of today’s complaint, it is time to finally hold Dolan accountable for his outrageous conduct,” Douglas H. Wigdor, a lawyer for Croft, said in a statement.
Here’s what we know so far.
Who is James Dolan?
Dolan is the executive chairman and chief executive officer of Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment), according to his bio on the website.
How did James Dolan make his money?
According to Sportskeeda, Dolan, whose net worth is valued at US$2 billion, got his wealth from his family. His father Charles was a billionaire and successful businessman.
Dolan has six children, according to Sports Manor. Essentially Sports adds that he and his now-ex-wife Kristin Dolan split up after 15 years of marriage.
How has James Dolan responded to the accusations?
Dolan’s lawyer E. Danya Perry said “there is absolutely no merit” to the allegations against her client and called them an “act of retaliation” by a lawyer who has brought multiple claims against Dolan.
“Mr Dolan always believed Ms Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims,” Perry added. “Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position. We look forward to proving that in court.”
What has Harvey Weinstein said in response to the allegations?
“Mr Weinstein vehemently denies these meritless allegations and looks forward to litigating these claims in a court of law where the truth will be revealed,” said a spokesperson for Weinstein.
Last year, Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison for raping a woman at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2013. In December, another woman sued Weinstein for sexual assault and battery. Weinstein has denied wrongdoing. He is already serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York, where he was convicted in 2020 of sexually assaulting other women.
Is Irving Azoff involved in the lawsuit?
A representative for American entertainment exec Azoff said: “Irving Azoff is not a party to this lawsuit. Neither he nor his companies had any involvement in any alleged misconduct by others.”
Croft first met Dolan in 2013 while serving as a masseuse for Eagles lead singer Glenn Frey during the group’s concert tour, according to the suit. Dolan was a source of the tour’s funding and he opened for the band with his group, JD & The Straight Shot.
Additional reporting by Faye Bradley
- On January 16, massage therapist Kellye Croft sued MSG Entertainment CEO Dolan and disgraced film producer Weinstein, accusing them of sexual assault and trafficking in a bombshell lawsuit
- Croft met the NY Knicks owner in 2013 while serving as a masseuse for Eagles lead singer Glenn Frey during its concert tour, where Dolan was a source of funding and member of the opening band