Harvey Weinstein Reportedly Suffers Another Health Concern After Emergency Heart Surgery
By Afouda Bamidele on October 22, 2024 at 9:15 AM EDT
Harvey Weinstein's health continues to decline amid his sexual assault case, with an alleged cancer diagnosis.
Sources recently claimed the convicted Hollywood producer had been diagnosed with the chronic illness while his reps neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, they bashed the public discussion about his health.
Harvey Weinstein's alleged cancer problem comes a month after he underwent a crucial heart surgery. That wasn't all September had in store for the convicted sex offender, as he was indicted on new sexual assault charges in New York.
Harvey Weinstein Allegedly Has Cancer
According to sources, Weinstein was diagnosed with cancer in the past month. However, it was unclear what his prognosis was, but other informants claimed his type of cancer was chronic myeloid leukemia.
These insiders alleged the disgraced producer was receiving treatment at Rikers, but his rep neither confirmed nor denied these reports. Instead, the spokesperson condemned the speculations about Weinstein's health in a statement, noting:
"Craig Rothfeld, Mr. Weinstein's authorized legal healthcare representative in New York State, expresses profound dismay at the speculation surrounding Mr. Weinstein's medical condition."
"It is both troubling and unacceptable that such private and confidential health matters have become a subject of public discourse. Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein's privacy, we will offer no further comment," the rep concluded, per The New York Post.
Weinstein Had A Successful Heart Surgery
A month before his alleged cancer diagnosis made waves, The Blast shared that Weinstein had undergone a successful heart surgery. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in New York for the operation due to a plethora of medical conditions.
Weinstein's reps, Craig Rothfeld and Juda Engel Mayer, confirmed he was "weak" and prioritized rest following the surgery. They did not provide additional information as to what sparked the medical emergency, only noting:
"As we have extensively stated before, Mr. Weinstein suffers a plethora of significant health issues that need ongoing treatment."
Weinstein's procedure occurred while waiting for a retrial in his 2020 case. He fell from grace following his conviction of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, but his 23-year prison sentence was overturned thanks to his appeal in April.
The Miramax Co-founder's Victory Sparked Criticism
When Weinstein's conviction was overturned in April, the Court of Appeal in New York cited the prejudicial rulings during the #MeToo trial as the reason behind their decision. However, many found their verdict problematic.
The list included Judge Madeline Singas, who condemned the overturn as perpetuating outdated views on sexual violence. She accused the majority in the 4-3 ruling of "whitewashing the facts to conform to a he-said/she-said narrative."
Singas slammed the Court of Appeal for continuing a "disturbing trend of overturning juries guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence." She also claimed the decision gave predators a route to evade accountability.
The Convicted Producer Was Indicted On New Charges
Weinstein did not enjoy his appeal victory for long, as The Blast reported he was indicted on new charges in September. A grand jury in New York allowed Manhattan prosecutors to slap additional sex-related crimes on the producer.
These charges Weinstein was indicted on were sealed, but prosecutor Matthew Colangelo shed light on the sexual allegations at a hearing. He revealed one of the victims was abused at the Tribeca Grand Hotel.
Another sexual assault crime allegedly occurred during the 2005 to 2006 "winter season" at a residential building in Lower Manhattan, either in Tribeca or SoHo. A third incident happened in May 2016 at a Tribeca hotel.
Harvey Weinstein Was Absent During The Indictment
Weinstein was absent from court during the indictment due to his emergency heart surgery. Instead of being returned to Rikers Island jail, Judge Curtis Farber allowed him to recover at the Bellevue Hospital's prison ward.
The convicted producer's attorney, Arthur Aidala, had argued that he was in no condition to return to prison. Weinstein allegedly had "some sort of shunt in his chest" and other medical apparatus attached to him, including artificial oxygen.
The legal rep claimed that holding the 72-year-old at Bellevue could "stop what may be the death of Mr. Weinstein" as his health would not be adequately monitored at Rikers Island.
Will Harvey Weinstein's alleged cancer diagnosis affect the new charges against him?
