NEW YORK (PIX11) — New York Knicks owner James Dolan and disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein have been accused of sexually assaulting a young masseuse who was working on the Eagles tour a decade ago, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Kellye Croft, then 27, was hired to be the massage therapist for Eagles’ lead singer Glenn Frey when Dolan and Weinstein allegedly attacked her while the band was on tour back in 2013 and 2014, according to the complaint.
“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. 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,” Croft, 38, said in a statement.
During a tour stop in Miami in 2013, Croft was giving Dolan a massage when he allegedly grabbed her hands, dragged her to the couch, and forced her hands between his legs, her lawyers said. After the encounter, on the other legs of the tour, Croft was summoned to Dolan’s room, where he allegedly made unwanted sexual advances, her lawyers said.
“Dolan was extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him,” the complaint alleged.
“Ms. Croft felt obligated to submit to sex with him,” her lawyers added.
Dolan, then 58, was funding the Eagles tour, according to court documents. In 2014, Dolan flew Croft to Los Angeles to work for the rock band when she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Weinstein in a hotel suite, according to the complaint.
Croft agreed to meet with Weinstein to discuss other work opportunities when he changed into only a loose-fitting robe and asked her to give him a massage, which she refused, the filing alleged. Croft managed to get out of the suite and run to her room but Weinstein allegedly followed her down the hall and forced his way in.
Weinstein then allegedly shoved the masseuse to the bed, held her down, and assaulted her, according to court papers. During the assault, Dolan allegedly called Croft’s room and Weinstein backed off when he realized who she was speaking to, per the complaint.
"'Well, you know Jim and I are best friends. He’s going to be very disappointed that you led me on, this won’t look good for you,’” Weinstein allegedly said to her, according to the filing.
Croft told Dolan what happened and he allegedly acknowledged Weinstein had issues, saying he and his friend were trying to help the former Hollywood mogul. Her lawyers said Dolan allegedly hinted that Weinstein was not a “safe” person.
Croft, a Tennessee native, then left the tour and eventually stopped working as a massage therapist, lawyers said.
Danya Perry, a spokesperson for Dolan, said Croft and the Knicks’ owner were friends and the accusations are baseless.
“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," Perry said.
In 2018, Dolan released a song called "I Should've Known," which hints at Weintein's reputation. Some of the song's lyrics suggest Dolan should've stopped Weinstein from the attacks, according to the complaint.
“Over the years, James Dolan has managed to dodge repeated issues concerning his judgment and character. Despite being found liable by a federal jury in the Anucha Browne case, ejecting loyal fans from Madison Square Garden because they question his ownership, and falsely denying knowledge of his good friend Harvey Weinstein’s predatory behavior prior to serving on the board of directors of The Weinstein Company, Dolan’s power and influence has remained intact," Croft’s lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, said Tuesday in a statement.
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.
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