Weinstein Accused of Offering Podcaster $1.75M to Influence Trial

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Manhattan prosecutors revealed during Harvey Weinstein’s sentencing hearing that they had evidence of the disgraced Hollywood mogul offering an unnamed podcaster $1.75 million to release videos meant to ‘contaminate the jury pool’ and influence jurors before and after the trial. The claim was made during the sentencing hearing, which took place on Wednesday, as Weinstein was sentenced to 15 years for a 2006 criminal sex act against former Project Runway production assistant Miriam ‘Mimi’ Haley.

Weinstein’s Sentence and Plea

The 74-year-old, who was transported to court in a wheelchair from Rikers Island, pleaded for mercy, calling himself ‘not a violent man’ and expressing ‘remorse’ for Haley. Judge Curtis Farber, however, called Weinstein a ‘sexual predator’ who had ‘thrown away a titan’s legacy.’

Podcaster Speculation and Candace Owens’ Response

Prosecutors did not name the podcaster but claimed that the recordings captured Weinstein offering the money to influence the trial. The New York Post reported that only one podcaster, Candace Owens, is known to have conducted on-camera interviews with Weinstein from Rikers Island and released a series based on those jailhouse videos. Owens, however, denied any involvement in a financial deal, calling the speculation an ‘intentional smear.’

Owens tweeted, stating she was not paid or even offered payment for her interview with Weinstein and that she would never accept money for the case. She also accused any lawyers suggesting otherwise of lying to cover for their clients.

Weinstein’s Legal Team Response

Weinstein’s spokesman, Juda Engelmayer, called the prosecutors’ allegations ‘patently untrue,’ stating that Weinstein ‘never offered or paid anyone $1.75 million to influence a jury.’ He emphasized that no money was paid and that the framing of the jailhouse talk as a criminal ‘scheme’ was ‘inflammatory and misleading.’

Source: The Gateway Pundit

Written by

Claire Thomas