New York Knicks team owner James Dolan was named in a lawsuit filed in California alleging he sexually assaulted and trafficked a masseuse. The lawsuit was filed on January 16 and alleges that in November 2013 Dolan sexually assaulted the plaintiff, Kellye Croft, while her band was on tour with the Eagles. In that case, the lawsuit alleges that while Croft was massaging Dolan, the Knicks team owner was “extremely assertive and pressured Ms. Croft to have unwanted sexual intercourse with him,” despite her adamant belief that she did not want to engage in any activity sexual. with him. Following that incident, Dolan repeatedly made sexual advances toward Croft, according to the indictment.
In another incident in late 2013, the lawsuit states that Croft had flown to California in what she thought was to work as a masseuse. However, the lawsuit claims these were “fraudulent claims” and instead Croft was “trafficked” by Dolan to “engage in unlawful and unwelcome sexual acts with her.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Dolan “fraudulently coordinated” a meeting between Croft and former film producer Harvey Weinstein, a convicted sex offender, in January 2014, which led to Croft being sexually assaulted by Weinstein. The lawsuit alleges that Dolan was aware of Weinstein’s history of sexually assaulting and abusing women, and when Croft alerted Dolan to Weinstein’s sexual assault he did nothing about it.
“I have suffered so deeply because of what James Dolan and Harvey Weinstein did to me years ago, and it was not an easy decision to come forward and seek justice,” Croft said in a statement. “But for me, to truly deal with my trauma, I must seek accountability. James Dolan manipulated me, took me to California to abuse me, and then set me up for a vicious attack from Weinstein. My hope is that my lawsuit forces Dolan to acknowledge what he did to me and take responsibility for the harm he caused.”
In a statement from Dolan’s attorney, E. Danya Perry, he denies the allegations against him and also denies knowing Weinstein’s history.