Disgraced film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein has filed a new legal claim with the Office of the NYC Comptroller over “deplorable conditions” he is enduring while behind bars at Rikers Island.
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According to the legal documents obtained by TMZ, Weinstein claims the deportable conditions are making his numerous medical issues worse. He noted that his health had deteriorated significantly while residing on the infamous prison island.
Weinstein’s attorney, Imran H. Ansari, spoke out about the prison condition, calling the facility his client is forced to live in a “gulag.”
“When I last visited him, I found him with blood spatter on his prison garb, possibly from IVs, clothes that had not been washed for weeks,” Ansari explained in a statement. “And he had not even been provided clean underwear – hardly sanitary conditions for someone with severe medical conditions.”
Harvey Weinstein is currently battling various health obstacles while in prison. Among them are leukemia, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.
He also noted that he is suffering from physical and psychological issues as well as emotional distress and loss of “enjoyment” of life while on Rikers Island.
He is now seeking $5 million from the Office of the NYC Comptroller. Weinstein’s latest lawsuit comes nearly two years before Rikers Island is set to close.
Harvey Weinstein has been in New York City’s custody since early 2024. He was turned over to the city after the New York City Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 rape conviction in the state. The case is set to be retried next year.
However, he remains in prison due to his California conviction.
Harvey Weinstein Was Previously Rushed From Rikers Island For Emergency Heart Surgery
In early September, Harvey Weinstein endured a health setback when he was rushed from his Rikers Island cell to nearby Bellevue Hospital for emergency heart surgery.
The former film mogul’s representatives confirmed the news. “Mr. Weinstein was rushed to Bellevue Hospital last night due to several medical conditions,” the reps shared in a statement. “We can confirm that Mr. Weinstein had a procedure and surgery on his heart today. However, we cannot comment any further than that.”
The emergency heart surgery came just months after Harvey Weinstein was hospitalized with a “myriad of health conditions.” He had tested positive for COVID-19 as well as contracted double pneumonia.
Weinstein was also treated for “conditions that he is still afflicted with on a daily basis such as diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal stenosis (and) fluid on his heart and lungs.”