Harvey Weinstein’s dramatic fall from Hollywood power broker to convicted sex offender continued Wednesday when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006.
Weinstein, 74, appeared before a Manhattan court in a wheelchair and made an emotional appeal for leniency. He told the court that he was not a violent man and asked the judge to show mercy.
“I sincerely apologize to anyone I have hurt,” Weinstein said.
But Haley, who attended the sentencing, described the consequences of the assault in stark terms. She told the court that she had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and characterized the impact of what happened as a “life sentence.”
Haley also accused Weinstein of using his position of influence to abuse her. She said she was deeply affected by the belief that he regarded her as insignificant.
The sentence follows years of legal battles. Weinstein was initially sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020. His conviction was later overturned by an appeals court in 2024, leading to a retrial.
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A jury convicted him again in 2025, setting the stage for Wednesday’s sentencing.
Prosecutors had requested a 20-year prison term, while Weinstein’s attorneys argued for a more lenient punishment. They warned that a lengthy sentence could result in Weinstein spending the remainder of his life behind bars.
The case dates back to a scandal that transformed Hollywood and contributed to the rise of the international #MeToo movement.
Weinstein was once one of the most powerful producers in the film industry, with credits connected to highly successful movies and enormous influence over careers. His reputation collapsed in 2017 after investigations by The New York Times and The New Yorker detailed allegations of sexual misconduct.
More than 80 women have since accused Weinstein of sexual harassment, assault or other abusive conduct.
The revelations prompted widespread discussions about sexual abuse and the misuse of power, particularly within the entertainment industry. The #MeToo movement subsequently spread across countries and industries as people publicly shared allegations and experiences of sexual misconduct.
Weinstein also faces continuing legal proceedings in California. An appeals court in June upheld his conviction for the 2013 rape and assault of an actress in a Los Angeles hotel room but vacated his 16-year prison sentence. He is expected to be sentenced again.
In New York, a separate case involving actor Jessica Mann ended in a mistrial in May when jurors could not reach a verdict. Prosecutors later said they would not pursue another trial.
The latest 15-year sentence adds to Weinstein’s continuing legal troubles and represents another major development in the criminal cases that followed the allegations that ended his career and helped ignite the global #MeToo movement.
