Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced for the sexual assault of former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley.
The disgraced former Hollywood producer was ordered to spend 15 years in prison on Wednesday, bringing to a close an extraordinary six-year legal battle that turned one of the entertainment industry’s most powerful figures into a defining symbol of the MeToo era.
Weinstein, 74, appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court in a wheelchair, his hands cuffed to the seat. Looking visibly frail, he faced the consequences of a conviction that had endured appeals, retrials and years of courtroom proceedings.
A jury convicted the former Hollywood kingmaker in June last year of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley. She testified that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her at his New York City apartment in 2006.
Haley delivered an emotional victim impact statement on Wednesday, describing the enduring damage caused by the assault.
“He abused his position and power,” she said, speaking about the “devastating effect” his actions had on her sense of safety. “It is a life sentence for me,” Haley added.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg praised Haley’s testimony and said he had been deeply moved by her courage.
Weinstein has repeatedly denied more than 80 allegations of sexual misconduct and maintained that his sexual encounters were consensual. Before the sentence was imposed, he addressed the court and defended himself.
Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006
Haley, whose allegation led to Weinstein’s conviction at his 2025 retrial, told the court that the assault permanently altered her life
Weinstein received a 15-year prison sentence, followed by five years of supervised release and mandatory registration as a sex offender
“I am not a perfect person,” Weinstein said. “But I am a person who has made mistakes.”
He apologized to “anyone I may have hurt by my actions,” but continued to reject the allegations against him, telling the court: “I am not a violent man.”
Judge Curtis Farber offered a sharply contrasting view as he condemned Weinstein’s conduct before announcing the sentence.
“You took what you wanted by force, and you have never accepted responsibility,” Farber told Weinstein.
Following the 15-year prison term, Weinstein will serve five years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender.
Bragg said the sentence was ultimately about the women who came forward to report Weinstein’s conduct.
Haley had support in the courtroom from fellow Weinstein accuser Jessica Mann, who sat in the pews to witness the sentencing.
Mann has alleged that Weinstein raped her in a Midtown Manhattan hotel room in March 2013. She said he overpowered and assaulted her despite her resistance.
After the sentence was handed down, Mann appeared visibly distressed and was seen leaving the courtroom in tears.
Weinstein, 74, appeared in a Manhattan courtroom in a wheelchair, frail his hands were cuffed to his seat, as the man who once wielded enormous influence over Hollywood faced the latest punishment in his spectacular fall from power
Defense Attorney Arthur L. Aidala held a press conference outside of 100 Centre Street to brief the media on the overturning of the conviction of his client Harvey Weinstein of rape charges
Weinstein was first convicted in New York in 2020 of sexually assaulting Haley and raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann (pictured)
‘Today was about the survivors,’ Bragg said in a statement, praising their ‘courage and their steadfastness’ throughout what had been an exceptionally difficult legal process.
Haley’s attorney, Gloria Allred, likened her pursuit of justice to a ‘trial by fire.’
‘In other words, Mimi underwent a trial by fire twice, and prevailed both times, unlike any other person in the ‘MeToo’ movement. Mimi is a true hero. She has survived all attempts both inside and outside of court to discredit her or question her motives,’ Allred said, adding ‘To describe Mimi as courageous is an understatement. She faced her fears and overcame them.’
‘This being so public, for this having gone on for so long, it’s been really, really tough,’ Haley said following the sentencing. ‘It’s a really tough thing to do. I have to say, and I thought of not doing it many times. I thought of pulling out.’
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But Haley did not call it quits; she persevered through the full duration of the sentencing and told journalists outside 100 Center Street that she believes she can now reach full closure.
Outside the courthouse, Haley and Allred took each other by the hands and raised their arms to the sky in victory.
Weinstein’s downfall has been years in the making.
He was originally convicted in New York in 2020 of third-degree rape involving former aspiring actor Jessica Mann and first-degree criminal sexual act involving Haley. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
But in 2024, New York’s highest court overturned that conviction and ordered a new trial, ruling that testimony concerning uncharged alleged sexual acts had been improperly admitted.
Haley said she believes that despite all his legal woes, Weinstein is not sorry for his actions
Before the sentence was handed down, Weinstein addressed the court himself. He apologized to ‘anyone I may have hurt by my actions,’ but continued to deny the allegations and insisted: ‘I am not a violent man’
During the sentencing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the moment was ultimately about the women who had endured the ordeal
The retrial produced a mixed result. In June 2025, Weinstein was again convicted of first-degree criminal sexual act involving Haley, while jurors acquitted him of a separate charge involving former model Kaja Sokola.
The jury could not reach a verdict on Mann’s allegation. A subsequent retrial of that charge also ended without a verdict, and prosecutors ultimately declined to pursue the case for a fourth time.
Weinstein is also serving a separate 16-year sentence imposed in California after his 2022 conviction in Los Angeles for rape and two counts of sexual assault stemming from a 2013 attack on an Italian actor and model. An appeals court has since vacated that sentence, and he is due to be resentenced.
His legal troubles began after a bombshell series of investigations by The New York Times and The New Yorker in 2017 detailed allegations of sexual harassment and assault by numerous women.
More than 80 women have since accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, allegations he has vehemently denied.
Before his fall from grace, Weinstein occupied an almost untouchable position in Hollywood. Miramax, the distribution company he co-founded, helped turn films including ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘Clerks’ into cultural landmarks.
He won an Oscar as a producer of ‘Shakespeare in Love,’ while his company enjoyed consecutive Best Picture victories with ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘The Artist.’
Then came the reckoning with his 2018 arrest.
Gloria Allred, Haley’s attorney stood by her side as she addressed the press following the sentencing. Allred praised Haley for her pursuit of justice in the face of those who were eager to undermine and discredit her
The criminal cases represent only a fraction of the allegations that have followed Weinstein since 2017. More than 80 women have publicly accused him of misconduct, with allegations spanning decades and ranging from sexual harassment to rape. Weinstein has denied non-consensual sexual activity.
The judge sentenced Weinstein to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and registration as a sex offender.
The judge sentenced Weinstein to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and registration as a sex offender
Join the discussion
Has justice truly been served for Weinstein’s victims, or does the sentence fall short?
The sheer volume of allegations and the prominence of the accusers transformed the phrase “#MeToo” (initially coined by activist Tarana Burke a decade prior) into a worldwide social movement and prompted women across entertainment, politics and other industries to speak out about sexual misconduct and abuses of power.
Now, nearly a decade after the revelations that shattered his Hollywood empire, Weinstein remains behind bars.
His health has also visibly deteriorated in recent years. He has faced a number of serious medical problems and has been held at the Bellevue Hospital prison ward while awaiting transfer to a state prison.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Allred for comment.