A federal lawsuit filed by a woman accusing New York Knicks owner James Dolan of sexual assault and claiming he arranged for her to be molested by convicted film producer Harvey Weinstein has been dismissed by a U.S. district judge. The lawsuit, brought by Kellye Croft in January, was thrown out by Judge Percy Anderson, who ruled that Croft had not convincingly alleged a commercial sex act as required under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.
The judge also declined to take up Croft’s state law claims against Dolan for sexual battery and aiding sexual assault, as well as her allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape against Weinstein.
Croft’s attorneys, Meredith Firetog and Kevin Mintzer of Wigdor LLP, expressed disagreement with the ruling, arguing that it misinterprets federal sex trafficking law and weakens protections for survivors of trafficking.
In response, Dolan’s attorney, E. Danya Perry, characterized the lawsuit as a malicious attempt to push baseless accusations. Weinstein’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, did not respond to requests for comment but previously dismissed the allegations.
The lawsuit stemmed from Croft’s time as a licensed massage therapist in 2013 while working on a tour for The Eagles, during which Dolan’s band, JD & The Straight Shot, was the opening act. Croft alleged that Dolan used his influence to pressure her into having sex with him and later facilitated a meeting with Weinstein, who she claimed assaulted her in a hotel room in 2014. Croft has publicly identified herself as a survivor of sexual assault.
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