Harvey Weinstein sentencing preview
Harvey Weinstein is facing up to 29 years in prison after being convicted on two out of five charges in his New York sexual assault case.
Harvey Weinstein reached out to billionaires and Hollywood A-listers for help just days after bombshell reports brought his pattern of sexual assault and misconduct to light, according to newly unsealed court documents.
The documents contain emails written by Weinstein to people like Michael Bloomberg, Jeff Bezos, Ted Sarandos and Tim Cook. Many are dated Oct. 8, 2017, just days after a pair of bombshell reports detailed the 67-year-old convicted rapist’s pattern of using his power and status to allegedly assault multiple women.
Weinstein has maintained that all sexual encounters were consensual. However, he was convicted of rape and sexual assault by a New York City jury in February.
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Weinstein sent frantic emails imploring the billionaires and high-status Hollywood executives to send letters to the board of The Weinstein Co. The now-disgraced movie mogul hoped that they could convince the board not to fire him and instead let him go into counseling and therapy, leaving the door open to a potential comeback.
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“All I’m asking for is, let me take a leave of absence and get into heavy therapy and counseling, whether it be in a facility or someplace else, and allow me to resurrect myself with a second chance,” the documents reportedly read.
Weinstein reached out to billionaires Mike Bloomberg, Jeff Bezos after bombshell reports about him broke. (Getty Images)
“If you could write this letter backing me getting the help and time away I need and also stating your opposition to the board firing me, it would help me a lot — I’m desperate for your help,” he added.
In a letter to Cook, CEO of Apple, Variety reports Weinstein was already planning for his own reinstatement.
“I don’t need you to make any public statements — just a private one to my gmail address, saying that you support me getting therapy and the help I need before the board fires me,” the email reportedly reads. “I’m in a tough spot. Many of the allegations are false, but I need your help with this private letter of support. I’m going to get well, and if I pass the therapist test, then we can talk about reinstatement et cetera. But for now, I’m going to take a leave of absence and get healthy. If they fire me now, it’ll destroy me personally and cause a huge legal battle, based on my rights with the company. But if I have support from someone like you getting me going into treatment and having the shot at a second chance (because people deserve a second chance), it would be very helpful. I would need something today if you can — I so appreciate it.”
The emails were mostly uniform, with minor tweaks here and there depending on who Weinstein was reaching out to. The attempts were in vain. The board removed him from his position later that day.
The court documents do not show any responses to Weinstein’s letters.
Harvey Weinstein asked billionaires for help keeping his job. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The emails came out as part of a massive trove contained by the Manhattan Supreme Court that was unsealed in light of Weinstein’s Feb. 24 conviction and ahead of his scheduled sentencing Wednesday. Page Six notes that the judge in the case deemed them irrelevant to the charges from two women that Weinstein was facing in New York.
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Weinstein was convicted on two counts: criminal sex act for the 2006 assault on the production assistant and rape in the third degree for a 2013 attack on another woman. On the criminal sex act count, he faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 25 years, while the third-degree rape count carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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