Harvey Weinstein

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein has rejected a proposed $19 million settlement for the women who accused former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse and harassment. Hellerstein stated the offer failed to compensate many of the victims who allege they were sexually assaulted or raped by Weinstein.

Hellerstein said: "Not every woman was captured in the same way, Your settlement would create inequality among all of those people.".

On Tuesday, the New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that a $19 million settlement had been reached in a 2018 civil rights lawsuit on behalf of multiple women against former film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

"Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company failed their female employees. After all the harassment, threats, and discrimination, their victims are finally receiving some justice," so James in a statement. The sum of $18,875,000 will be distributed among "women who experienced a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and gender-based discrimination while working at The Weinstein Company, as well as sexual abuse by Harvey Weinstein."

Douglas H. Wigdor and Kevin Mintzer, two attorneys for several of Weinstein's victims called the settlement a "complete sellout" and said they were surprised "that the Attorney General could somehow boast about a proposal that fails on so many different levels."