Harvey Weinstein's company hit with lawsuit by NY attorney general after 4-month investigation

The Weinstein Company on Sunday was hit with a civil-rights lawsuit by New York's attorney general, after a four-month investigation into claims of sexual misconduct against the disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

The suit from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claimed several key figures at the company were complicit in Weinstein’s years of alleged sexual harassment and abuse, saying top executives at the company and its human resources department were aware of the reported misconduct, but did nothing. The lawsuit named his brother, Robert, and the board specifically.

The lawsuit emerged amid reports the company was about to be sold to an investor group -- with plans to set up a “largely female-led studio.”

“As alleged in our complaint, The Weinstein Company repeatedly broke New York law by failing to protect its employees from pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination,” Schneiderman said in a statement provided to Fox News. “Any sale of The Weinstein Company must ensure that victims will be compensated, employees will be protected going forward, and that neither perpetrators nor enablers will be unjustly enriched. Every New Yorker has a right to a workplace free of sexual harassment, intimidation, and fear.”

Schneiderman’s investigation reportedly discovered instances of Weinstein making death threats to workers while touting his connection to political influencers. Several groups of women employees allegedly were tasked with facilitating his sexual exploits by going with him to events, texting potential sexual partners and giving work opportunities to women he selected after encounters with them.

The complaint noted several instances of Weinstein allegedly groping and exposing himself to women at work. At every turn, the suit painted a picture of those involved with TWC as complicit in either ignoring these complaints or allowing threats against the accusers.

In one example, an assistant wrote an email complaint to human resources regarding Weinstein's behavior only to find it forwarded directly to him via email minutes later, according to the suit.

The attorney general’s office also claimed the board voted unanimously to approve a new contract that essentially fined him over complaints, rather than fire him.

As Variety noted, this lawsuit has come at a precarious time for TWC and an investor group led by Maria Contreras-Sweet, which was in talks to buy the company for $500 million, including $225 million in assumed debt.

While a deal was expected to close as early as this week, the outlet reported all negotiations and dealings have halted amid the lawsuit. Schneiderman’s complaint noted that the imminent sale of the company likely would leave victims without “adequate redress, including a lack of a sufficient victims compensation fund.”