Harvey Weinstein believes that it was his own brother Bob who leaked allegations of his sexual misconduct to the New York Times in a successful attempt to take full control of their film company, according to a new report.
Sources close to Harvey told TMZ that Bob and the rest of the board knew about the sexual harassment accusations for years, despite a statement Tuesday that they were ignorant.
Furthermore, Harvey’s people say they have a FedEx receipt showing that Bob received a personnel file on his brother seven months ago, which they believe he leaked to the Times.
The leak was part of a well-orchestrated plan to remove Harvey from the Weinstein Co., the sources said.
Sources close to Harvey Weinstein, right, told TMZ that it was his brother Bob, left, who leaked the sexual misconduct allegations to the New York Times
The Weinstien Co voted to fire Harvey on Sunday, three days after the damning Times report was published. The brothers had been co-chairmen of the board, but after Sunday Bob was installed as full chairman. Several members of the all-male board have resigned since Thursday’s initial allegations. The remaining members include Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar.
Bob responded to the latest claims, calling his brother a ‘very sick man’ who has ‘proven himself to be a world class liar’.
‘My brother Harvey is obviously a very sick man. I’ve urged him to seek immediate professional help because he is in dire need of it. His remorse and apologies to the victims of his abuse are hollow. He said he would go away for help and has yet to do so.
Actress Rose McGowan was one of the first victims to come forward. She says she wants the Weinstein Co board dissolved
After the Weinstein Co board issued a statement on Tuesday, saying they were ignorant of the allegations, McGowan responded saying ‘you all knew’
McGowan posted an email she received from her agent, telling her that Bob Weinstein wanted to meet with her
McGowan says she’s not meeting with Bob Weinstein because he lied about his knowledge of his brother’s predatory behavior
McGowan is seen above on September 23
‘He has proven himself to be a world class liar and now rather than seeking help he is looking to blame others. His assertion is categorically untrue from A to Z. I pray he gets the help that he needs and I believe that it is him behind all of these stories to distract from his own failure to get help,’ Bob said.
Harvey reportedly left last night for rehab in Europe. His wife Georgina Chapman issued a statement Tuesday saying that she is leaving him.
On Tuesday, the Weinstein Co released a statement saying they were ‘shocked and dismayed’ about the recent allegations.
The statement calls Weinstein’s alleged actions ‘antithetical to human decency.’ It says the board did not know of the alleged harassment and abuse of women.
The remaining board members also say they are committed to assisting with any criminal or other investigations into the allegations and reiterated the company has its own investigation ongoing.
One of the alleged victims, Rose McGowan, tweeted Wednesday that she’s not buying the board’s excuses.
She posted a copy of an email her agent sent her, telling her that Bob Weinstein was in town and wanted to meet with her.
She said she isn’t meeting with him because she knows he knew about his brother’s behavior.
‘Bob Weinstein is a POS. They allllll knew,’ she tweeted.
Earlier Tuesday, the New Yorker reported that 16 former and current executives and assistants at The Weinstein Co. and his former company Miramax either witnessed or knew of Weinstein’s unwanted sexual advances.