John Jefferson
The disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was rushed from a New York City jail to a hospital for emergency heart surgery on Monday, according to a report.
Unnamed sources told ABC News that the convicted rapist, 72, had been taken from Rikers Island to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan after suffering from chest pain.
It comes days before Weinstein was set to appear in court in New York City, where he will be retried over allegations of rape and sexual assault.
His previous conviction in New York was overturned in April by the state’s Court of Appeals due to “egregious errors” by the original trial judge, but three separate convictions in California re in force.
The longtime Miramax and Weinstein Company boss was previously taken to hospital for Covid-19 and pneumonia in both lungs, as well as a “myriad of health conditions” including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Weinstein was first arrested in New York City in 2018 after more than 80 women accused him of rape or assault, with many alleging that he had used his power in the film industry to coerce them into sexual acts.
The revelations in 2017 set off a global reckoning against high-profile abusers in Hollywood and beyond, kickstarting the #MeToo movement and ultimately leading to his imprisonment.
This story is developing and will be updated.
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