Latest Epstein documents mention call from sex offender Harvey Weinstein
What's the story
Over 130 court files were made public on Saturday in a lawsuit involving sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The latest court documents include a handwritten note dated 2005 that mentions the name of disgraced Hollywood producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein.
According to reports, the note above mentions that the 71-year-old producer attempted to reach Epstein at around 10:20am in March 2005. It is learned that Weinstein and Epstein were close associates.
Context
Why does this story matter?
These documents are part of a now-settled defamation lawsuit filed against Epstein's former lover, Ghislaine Maxwell, by victim Virginia Giuffre in 2015. Giuffre alleged that Epstein sexually abused her as a minor, and Maxwell assisted in the abuse.
Besides Weinstein, several other heavyweights like Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Stephen Hawking are also mentioned in the documents.
Notably, the appearance of the names in the court files is not evidence of wrongdoing.
Details
Weinstein's time at Epstein's apartment in France
A book by Bradley Edwards, a lawyer for Giuffre, writes that the two sex offenders were close until they fell out.
The book mentions that Weinstein was at Epstein's apartment in France receiving a massage from one of his girls when he aggressively tried to make it sexual.
"The girl rejected his advances. As the story goes, Harvey then verbally abused her for rejecting him," Edwards further claimed in his book.
What Next?
Epstein kicked Weinstein out of his house
Unfortunately for Weinstein, he allegedly had no idea that he was messing with one of Epstein's favorite girls. Epstein viewed the mistreatment as disrespectful toward him, Edwards wrote.
"Jeffrey then came into the room, got in Harvey's face, and kicked him out of his house, delivering the message that he was never to come back," the book adds.
Edwards further claimed that he had heard similar versions of this story from Epstein himself, who referred to Weinstein as "a pig."
Insights
Top Hollywood names appear in Epstein's list
Numerous other A-list celebrities from the entertainment industry, such as Hollywood actors Cameron Diaz, Bruce Willis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett, and magician David Copperfield, also appeared in the Epstein documents.
Other notable names mentioned include former Victoria's Secret CEO Lex Wexner, Giuffre's ex-boyfriend Anthony Figueroa, and Epstein accusers like Johanna Sjöberg and Annie Farmer.
Weinstein
Weinstein sentenced to 16 years in jail
Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison last year by a Los Angeles judge after a jury convicted him of raping and sexually assaulting an Italian actor and model in 2013.
The term is in addition to the more than 20 years Weinstein has left to serve for a similar 2020 conviction in New York.
Over the years, several women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein.
Actors Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd are among them.