Massage Therapist Refiles Sexual Assault Claims Against Weinstein, Dolan
Kellye Croft refiled sexual assault claims against Weinstein and Dolan in New York Supreme Court on Sept. 18, 2026.
Why it matters: The lawsuit transfer highlights jurisdictional strategy in sexual assault cases and legal challenges in sex trafficking allegations under federal law.
- Lawsuit refiled September 18, 2026, in New York County Supreme Court by massage therapist Kellye Croft.
- Croft alleges James Dolan sexually assaulted her in Miami (2013) and California (2014) during massage sessions.
- She claims Dolan introduced her to Harvey Weinstein, who then assaulted her in a New York hotel room in 2014.
- Croft's 2024 federal sex trafficking suit was dismissed for lacking plausible commercial sex act allegations, prompting the state filing.
On September 18, 2026, Kellye Croft, a Tennessee massage therapist, filed sexual assault claims against Harvey Weinstein and James Dolan in New York County Supreme Court. She alleges assaults in 2013 and 2014 during massage sessions across multiple states.
Croft asserts that Dolan, owner of the New York Knicks, sexually assaulted her twice: once in Miami during a 2013 tour and later in California in 2014. She further alleges Dolan introduced her to Weinstein, who assaulted her in a New York hotel room the same year. This New York state action consolidates allegations spanning three jurisdictions.
Her earlier 2024 federal lawsuit in California was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson for not plausibly alleging a "commercial sex act," a requirement under federal sex trafficking laws. This dismissal compelled Croft to pursue her claims in state court, where legal standards differ.
Harvey Weinstein's spokesperson Juda Engelmayer stated that these allegations are "not new" and denied wrongdoing, adding that moving venue does not validate the claims. A representative for Dolan called the suit "meritless" and anticipated dismissal, though no direct official statement was publicly issued.
The case arrives amid continued legal proceedings involving Weinstein. He is serving a 16-year sentence from a 2022 California conviction for rape and sexual assault. A separate 2026 New York retrial ended in a mistrial, and prosecutors later dropped another rape charge when the alleged victim declined to retry.
For legal professionals, Croft's refiling illustrates the strategic selection of jurisdiction in sexual assault litigation and the challenges in meeting federal sex trafficking thresholds. How New York courts assess these claims will be instructive for counsel navigating multi-jurisdictional sexual assault and trafficking cases.
By the numbers:
- September 18, 2026 — Date Croft refiled in New York County Supreme Court
- 2024 — Year Croft's federal sex trafficking lawsuit was dismissed
- 16 years — Prison sentence reached by Weinstein in 2022 California conviction
Yes, but: While Dolan and Weinstein deny the allegations, no formal public court statements from Dolan’s representatives have been released, limiting independent verification.
What's next: Legal observers are watching for New York county court rulings on admissibility and jurisdictional challenges that could shape venue strategy in sexual assault cases.