New York Knicks owner James Dolan named in sexual assault lawsuit. What do we know?
The allegations against the MSG Networks CEO are as disturbing as they are serious. As the judicial process begins, questions remain unanswered.
With the NBA opting for a ‘wait and watch’ approach, it remains to be seen what the fallout will be from the case that has been brought against the franchise owner.
Knicks owner James Dolan accused of sexual assault
According to reports, New York Knicks team owner James Dolan has been named in a lawsuit filed in California, alleging that he sexually assaulted and trafficked a masseuse. Filed on January 16th, the lawsuit claims that in November 2013, Dolan sexually assaulted the plaintiff, Kellye Croft, while his band was on tour with The Eagles. The lawsuit goes on to allege that on that occasion, while Croft was massaging Dolan, the Knicks team owner became “extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him,” despite her being outrightly objecting to his advances. As per the lawsuit, Dolan continued to make sexual advances toward Croft even after the incident.
The dark details of James Dolan’s alleged actions
Disturbingly, the lawsuit also goes on to detail another incident that occurred at the end of 2013. It states that Croft was flown out to California for what she believed was contracted work as a massage therapist. Ultimately, that was not what she encountered according to the lawsuit as Croft was transported under “fraudulent pretenses” and was instead “trafficked” by Dolan to “engage in unlawful and unwelcome sex acts with her.” Further to that, the lawsuit also alleges that Dolan “fraudulently coordinated” a meeting between Croft and convicted sex offender and former movie producer Harvey Weinstein in January 2014, a moment which led to Croft being sexually assaulted by Weinstein. The lawsuit goes further, alleging that Dolan was aware of Weinstein’s history of sexually assaulting and abusing women, and when Croft alerted Dolan of Weinstein’s actions against her, he did nothing about it.
Kellye Croft in her own words
In a statement that she released, Kellye Croft spoke about her suffering at the hands of both Dolan and Weinstein. “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,” Croft said. “But for me, to truly address my trauma, I need to seek accountability. James Dolan manipulated me, brought me to California to abuse me, and then set me up for a vicious attack by Weinstein. My hope is that my lawsuit will force Dolan to acknowledge what he did to me and to take responsibility for the harm he has caused.”
James Dolan’s lawyers respond
In a statement by Dolan’s lawyer, E. Danya Perry, a denial of all allegations was given as well as a denial of any knowledge about Harvey Weinstein’s history.
“There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against Mr. Dolan. Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a friendship. The references to Harvey Weinstein are simply meant to inflame and appear to be plagiarized from prior cases against Mr. Weinstein. These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against Mr. Dolan and has not, and cannot, win a judgment against him. Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims. Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position. We look forward to proving that in court.” At 68 years old, James Dolan is the chairman and CO of Madison Square Garden Sports - the managing group of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers - while also holding the position of chairman of MSG Networks.