6 women claim Weinstein cover-up was racketeering

Six women file a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, seeking to represent a class of “dozens, if not hundreds” of women who say they were assaulted by the movie mogul.

The lawsuit filed at a federal court in New York claims that his actions to cover up the assaults amounted to civil racketeering.

The lawsuit claims that a coalition of companies and people became part of the growing “Weinstein Sexual Enterprise” and that they worked with Weinstein to conceal his widespread sexual harassment and assaults.

“The Weinstein Sexual Enterprise had many participants, grew over time as the obfuscation of Weinstein’s conduct became more difficult to conceal,” the suit says.

A lawyer for Weinstein declined comment.

According to the lawsuit, actresses and other women in the film industry were lured to industry events, hotel rooms, Weinstein’s home, office meetings or auditions under the pretense that they were to discuss a project.

At least 75 women have come forward in the media to detail accounts of assault, harassment and inappropriate conduct by Weinstein.

— AP