A Tennessee massage therapist filed a federal lawsuit accusing Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan of trafficking her for his own sexual gratification and turning a blind eye when his friend, former film producer Harvey Weinstein, sexually assaulted her.
The lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in California against Dolan, Weinstein and a music management company, centers around a 2013 Eagles concert tour that court papers say Dolan largely financed, and for which his band, JD & The Straight Shot, served as the opening act.
The plaintiff, Kellye Croft, 38, was traveling with the band as a massage therapist, court papers say. Croft claims in the lawsuit that Dolan repeatedly coerced her to have sex with him on the tour, and failed to take action when Weinstein, his close friend at the time, was “sexually aggressive” with her during a Los Angeles tour stop. Croft also says in court papers that the music management company that arranged her trip to California knew or should have known that Dolan was sexually exploiting her.
In a statement, Croft said she hopes her lawsuit will force Dolan to take responsibility for manipulating her and allowing Weinstein to attack her.
“I have suffered so profoundly 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,” she said. “But for me, to truly address my trauma, I need to seek accountability.”
Croft is seeking unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
Attorney E. Danya Perry, who is representing Dolan, said in a statement there is “absolutely no merit” to the allegations against her client and that references to Weinstein in the lawsuit are “meant to inflame.” She also accused Croft’s attorney Douglas Wigdor — who has sued both Dolan and Weinstein in the past — of retaliation.
“Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position,” said Perry, founding partner of…
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