CALIFORNIA – A federal lawsuit has been filed in Los Angeles by a woman alleging that James Dolan, owner of the New York Knicks, sexually assaulted her a decade ago and then facilitated her abuse by the now-imprisoned film producer Harvey Weinstein.
In 2013, Kellye Croft, then a 27-year-old massage therapist, was working on tour with the band The Eagles. Dolan’s band, JD & The Straight Shot, was the opening act for the tour. The lawsuit claims that Dolan, who was 58 at the time, used his influence to manipulate and pressure Croft into having sex with him.
The Associated Press typically does not name victims of sexual assault unless they publicly identify themselves, as Croft has done in this case.
According to the lawsuit, when the tour reached Los Angeles, Dolan arranged for Croft to fly there despite few team members signing up for massages. Dolan continued to exploit her sexually and arranged a meeting between Croft and Weinstein in a hotel elevator in early 2014.
The lawsuit alleges that Weinstein offered Croft opportunities to work on film sets and changed into a loose robe in his suite, asking Croft to give him a massage. Feeling uncomfortable, Croft left the suite, but Weinstein followed her and sexually assaulted her in her hotel room.
When Croft reported the alleged assault to Dolan, he showed no surprise or offered any help in reporting the assault. Croft claims that Dolan was aware of Weinstein’s behavior and told her, “we all know” Weinstein “has issues,” making her feel that Dolan dismissed the severity of the situation.
Dolan served on the board of Weinstein’s production company between 2015 and 2016. In 2017, he was named in a lawsuit against the board, which alleged that they were aware of Weinstein’s conduct but failed to act.
Croft, now 38, is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages. In a statement, she said, “I have suffered deeply from what James Dolan and Harvey Weinstein did to me years ago, and it was not an easy decision to come forward and seek justice.“
James Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp, denies the accusations. His attorney, E. Danya Perry, stated that Croft’s allegations have no merit and that references to Weinstein are intended to inflame. Perry added that there was a friendship between Croft and Dolan and that they look forward to proving their case in court.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver declined to comment specifically on the accusations, indicating they would wait for more information. Harvey Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault in New York and was sentenced in 2022 to an additional 16 years in Los Angeles for similar cases.
Under Dolan’s ownership, Madison Square Garden has faced multiple lawsuits, including a sexual harassment suit filed by former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders, who was awarded $11.6 million after a 2007 trial. Additionally, former Knicks player Charles Oakley sued Dolan after being arrested at a game in 2017, although the lawsuit was dismissed.
This case highlights not only the allegations against powerful figures like Dolan and Weinstein but also the ongoing struggles of sexual assault victims seeking justice and accountability in a system that often favors the powerful.
