LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan is named in a new lawsuit alongside disgraced media mogul Harvey Weinstein.
The complaint, filed Tuesday in California, accuses Dolan and Weinsten of sexually assaulting and trafficking a massage therapist a decade ago.
According to the lawsuit, plaintiff Kellye Croft was employed to work as a licensed massage therapist while on tour with the rock band The Eagles.
Allegations against James Dolan
She first met Dolan in 2013 while his band "JD & The Straight Shot" was the tour's opening act, but would come to learn Dolan was in multiple business ventures with the Eagles management company, Croft's lawyers stated in the filing.
The suit alleges that, while Croft was giving Dolan a massage in mid-Novemeber 2013, Dolan "pulled Ms. Croft towards him... dragging her to a couch...and forcing her hands between his knees as he sat down."
The lawsuit alleged that Croft was "adamant that she did not want to have any sexual interactions with Dolan," but she felt intimidated and isolated.
On multiple other occasions, Croft's lawyers state she experienced "unwelcome advances" from Dolan, "and she felt obligated to submit to sex with him."
The lawsuit describes Dolan as an "extremely manipulative" person who would "regularly name-drop famous celebrities and sports stars he said were his friends."
Croft's "youth and extreme loneliness" made it "possible for Dolan to manipulate Ms. Croft and lure her under his control," lawyers argued in the filing.
At the end of 2013, Croft was brought to Los Angeles to continue her work with the Eagles, though the lawsuit claims that "Croft was flown out to Los Angeles for the purposes of engaging in unwanted sexual acts with Dolan."
"Dolan expected Ms. Croft to have sexual interactions with him during the tour, and she spent her time either isolated by herself or waiting for instructions from Dolan," the suit reads.
In a statement to CNN, Dolan's attorney, E. Danya Perry, said "There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against Mr. Dolan."
"Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims. Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position," Perry continued. "We look forward to proving that in court."
Allegations against Harvey Weinstein
In January 2014, Croft met a man who introduced himself as Harvey Weinstein. He would describe Dolan as "one of his best friends."
According to the complaint, Weinstein suggested he might have work opportunities for Croft and insisted she join him in his suite to continue to conversation.
While in the hotel room, Weinstein allegedly asked her to "show [him] what she could do," but Croft repeatedly insisted she only performed massages using her massage table.
After further back-and-forth, Weinstein allegedly became "irritated and angry," stating, "...If you will not be reasonable and are not able to handle requests on the fly, you won't make it in Hollywood."
Once Croft left the hotel room to get her massage table, the complaint alleges Weinstein followed her down the hallway in his bathrobe, barged into her hotel room, and sexually assaulted her.
"Ms. Croft fought back the best she could, although she recalls that Weinstein felt like a giant compared to her," the lawsuit states.
Weinstein is serving prison time in New York after he was convicted of rape and sexual assault of two women in 2020 and a third in 2022.
In response to the complaint, Weinstein's attorney Jennifer Bonjean told CNN the following:
"Mr. Weinstein vehemently denies these meritless allegation and looks forward to litigating these claims in a court of law where the truth will be revealed."
According to the complaint, Croft felt "physically and emotionally unwell" in the fays following her encounter with Weinstein. She would eventually leave the tour and return home to Tennessee.
She alleges her experiences with Dolan and Weinstein impacted her work, citing instances of panic attacks before massage appointments. Her hands would "tense so extremely that she could not move her hands or perform a massage," according to the lawsuit.
Croft is seeking an undisclosed amount in compensatory damages from Dolan and his companies.
As of this report, no hearing date had been set in this case.
