On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, citing the proposed settlement and people familiar with the matter, reported that Weinstein's former film studio's board members and the New York attorney general's office had reached a $44 million deal to compensate the alleged victims and settle the suits.
The supposed $44 million settlement would allocate about $30 million to the plaintiffs, while the remaining $14 million would go towards the legal fees of Weinstein's associates, including his former board members, who are defendants in the lawsuits.
The first accusations against Weinstein emerged in October 2017, following media reports about his alleged assaults. Dozens of women claimed he had raped or sexually assaulted them, starting a campaign that gave rise to the #MeToo movement in the United States. The alleged victims also sued The Weinstein Company and Miramax for being aware of the producer's alleged conduct and helping him to threaten and pay off victims, Sputnik previously reported.